UNDERKAVA THE PACIFIC ISLAND PLAYERS BI-MONTHLY E-MAGAZINE xxx 2014 PROUDLY SPONSORED BY IN THIS EDITION Welcome 2 Education First, Football Second with Troy Polamanu 3 & 4 The Heart & Soul of the Fijian Warrior- Seremaia Bai 5 & 6 Only the Mentally Tough Thrive - Valarie Adams 7 & 8 PIPA members take up Coaching Levels 9 Life after Rugby - Nicky Little 10 & 11 Herbinia 12 21 Questions 13 & 14 FOLLOW US ON FOR ANY ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT ANA ON [email protected] TALOFA, BULA AND MALO E LELEI challenges in their daily lives that result in a unique set of obstacles to overcome. These challenges are often magnified in an elite sport environment. These can be anything from Talofa, Bula and Malo E Lelei loneliness to lack of social support to stressful life experiences Most of us want to know more about what makes champions to relationship problems to financial strain to alcohol abuse tick, what drives them to achieve, and most importantly what to chronic pain or to loss of contract. If you are struggling or they learn along the way. In this edition we are very proud to know someone who is struggling please reach out and talk have spent a few moments with two undisputed Pacific Island to us here at PIPA or a close friend. Through PIPA we have a world champions. We hope that sharing their thoughts will worldwide network of professionals who we can utilise for help inspire the next generation of Pacific Island sporting stars to no matter where you are located in the world. Important to over achieve not just as athletes but as people and members of remember that you are not alone and talking to someone will the Pacific Island family. The quality of people contributing to help provide some light at the end of the tunnel. UnderKava is immense. Amongst busy schedules we are grateful Whether your building up to end of season games in the for the time individuals are giving up, it is also a powerful North or building into the season in the South, we wish you all endorsement for PIPA that people like Troy Polamalu and Valerie the very best both on and off the field. Enjoy UnderKava!! Adams are willing to freely impart with their knowledge for us all to learn from. Deacs, Hale, Maps. Also in this edition, Nicky Little, a mainstay for over a decade with the Flying Fijians gives a very open and honest account of what he has learnt during his time as a professional rugby PIPA BOARD ANNOUCEMENT player. He also reflects on how he found his niche post rugby. PIPA held their inaugural Annual General Meeting on the A statement that he makes in his article, “I will never put my 31st March in Hong Kong. The purpose of the AGM was to family’s welfare against luck again,” is something well worth formalise PIPA as an organisation and fulfil the requirements reflecting on whilst reading his account. A big thanks to Nicky of being an incorporated society under New Zealand law. for taking the time to write his piece. Sharing stories like this are Nominations for our first player board were received and part of the legacy we want to build at PIPA whereby past players we are proud to announce the following PIPA members provide insight to those embarking on professional rugby who have been appointed onto the PIPA board as Player careers. representatives. Here at PIPA we continue to keep making steps to ensure the • Samoa – Seilala Mapusua players voice is heard and respected. As circulated in March, we held the inaugural PIPA Annual General Meeting in Hong Kong - Jack Lam following the Hong Kong 7’s. At the meeting nominated player representatives were elected to the PIPA board. Important to • Fiji – Deacon Manu note that the players nominated are volunteers who collectively - Seremaia Bai will act as the Pacific Island Players voice and seek feedback from the players on issues that affect them. They need your • Tonga – Hale T Pole feedback so that we can better ourselves and each other. Page __ introduces the representatives, they are there to help so don’t - Siale Piatu be shy to reach out to them. Just finally, we were saddened by the news of the passing of The PIPA board will be supported by the International Tongan player Samuela Lisala (Samo) in France earlier in the Rugby Player Association (IRPA). Together the PIPA board FOR ANY ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT ANA ON year. Our thoughts and prayers from the PIPA family go out and IRPA will ensure the strategic direction of PIPA is set to his family and friends. It is well accepted that professional and the players’ voice is heard and respected. sportspeople, both current and former have circumstances or [email protected] IN TOUCH E-MAGAZINE PAGE 1 & 2 Troy Polamalu EDUCATION FIRST, FOOTBALL SECOND Troy Polamalu needs little introduction for all you NFL devotees. westernised upbringing that I had, it was as much Samoan as I could be.” Two Superbowl rings with his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers are the He says it would be a great idea if future Pacific rugby academies could run highlights of a glittering decade-long career as a safety, but there along education lines, whereby it is deemed crucial to maintain grades even are many strands to this humble athlete. after signing as a pro, like exists in the NFL. Down the phone from his San Diego off-season base, it is clear “Unfortunately professional sport is about entertainment, it’s about money. Polamalu is not just putting on airs and graces. He is exactly who To me education starts from the home. Parents have to be accountable to he is and seems. In fact, he is the most down-to-earth sports star show the children why education is important. They can’t just take them this journalist has met since Ruben Wiki of Warriors and Kiwis to quarterback coaches, from a football perspective, and not take them to fame. tutors. There are a lot of kids who will go to quarterback coaches from the age of seven, but if they don’t make it to the NFL they often have nothing He doesn’t talk a lot about his footballing feats. They are well to fall back on. If they do make it, they don’t have the education to handle documented. No, the underlying theme of our chat is education, all the adversity or the fame or the money.” one of his many passions, but one which he attaches huge importance, just behind family and his American Samoan culture. So how does he easily separate the professional athlete from the quite family man? “I left school (US college) early. I did my education at the University of Southern California but went back nine years later Well, for one, he is not a social animal, nor does he believe the hype. You and finished my degree (Bachelor of History). I made a promise won’t find Polamalu watching replays of his greatest hits. to my family that I would get my degree,” says the quietly-spoken 32-year-old. “Thank God I have a wife that is very honest with me, but is also very supportive of me. You have to be the same person. If you are selfish in life, “Not everyone can be a professional athlete, but education and you’re going to be a selfish player on the field. To me there is a correlation. knowledge is something no one can take away from you. That was I try and be who I am whether it be on the field, where I am passionate very important for me. about my football, or passionate about how I love my family,” he says. “My wife Theodora has her degree and it was very important for “Football is a beautiful battleground. It’s a great team sport, but it requires us as parents to show our children, who are five (Paisios) and humility within the team, discipline within the system.” three (Ephraim), and others, the importance of education.” Polamalu is happy to hear of the formation of PIPA. He is part of the NFL In 2011 he returned to American Samoa with some of his fellow players’ union and there are plenty of players of Tongan or Samoan descent NFL stars to run the Fa’a American Samoan Camp, help out to connect with for support. through his charity work and generally try to inspire the next generation. Polamalu says the experience was “humbling and “People have their different opinions about unions, of course, but I overwhelming”, so expect more trips back to the land of his do believe that people have to be held accountable. Fortunately, or forefathers in the future. unfortunately, unions have to be formed to help the working men. Our union is helpful.” “Our foundation is working in American Samoa to educate kids. American football is much bigger there than rugby and vice He highlights three areas if he were to offer advice to young PI athletes. versa in Samoa. Our mission there is trying to help educate kids “I would say the first thing is to stay true to who you are as a human being. there through scholarships, be it football, rugby, volleyball, both Stay humble in your athletic life, your personal life, your spiritual life. I have male and female. “Athletics are so natural to us Samoans and always believed that everyone out there is better than me in football, so Polynesians that I feel it is more of an accomplishment when I that’s what drives me to work harder.