Multisport boy off to Europe
Monoa Paki is involved in a few different sports but it’s football that has him jetting off to Barcelona. Photo / Chris Marshall
Tūrangi 10-year-old Monoa Paki was introduced to football to improve his kicking skills for rugby league.
The idea worked better than expected.
Monoa will be heading to Barcelona in November after being selected along with Kinloch’s Oliver Thomas to attend a soccer camp with Barca Academy – following Monoa’s attendance at a five-day soccer camp in Wellington in January. (Oliver, profiled in last week’s Taupō and Tūrangi News, attended a similar camp in Auckland).
Father Poutama Paki said Monoa’s uncle took him and a few other boys along to football about three years ago to develop their kicking abilities for league.
“We don’t have anybody in the family who plays football… Anyway, he ended up falling in love with football and wanted to drop out of league. He did and now here we are.
“He's very clear about football being his passion but we’re also very clear about it’s good to have options, so he does play other sports as well like hockey… and he also plays basketball – just finished a Māori tournament in Rotorua and then he also does golf.”
Though golf is on hold for the moment – to provide a bit of space.
A student at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakarewa i te reo ki Tūwharetoa, Monoa is also in a kapa haka group that will be representing Tūwharetoa at their age group national competition in Tauranga just before the trip to Spain.
So, no shortage of options, all contributing to a well-rounded individual with a passion for the round ball game.
Monoa had already got a lot out of participating in the Barca Academy, said Poutama.
“In terms of confidence and passion, even their values. They really talk to their values at the academy which we felt aligned, especially as a Māori whanau, Tūwharetoa whanau, very pro tribal values. They aligned really well.”
Mother Raiha who is planning to travel to Spain with Monoa said the whanau were “super proud of him as a family and excited to go to Barcelona to create memories and solidify networks already made with Barcelona FC.”
Meanwhile the Poutama whanau, like the Olivers, are exploring ways to help fund the trip.