FLY MY WINGED CHILD - Through the eyes of a FLYING FIJIAN mum

Fly My Winged Child Through the eyes of a Flying Fijian mum “Only a brother can love like a father, annoy like a sister, care like a mother and support like a friend. ” This is Milan Volavola in a nutshell! Also known by family as Milano or Milz, he is the youngest of my two sons and the younger brother of Ben Volavola. Milan was 4 years old when we moved to Australia and was 6 when Ben started playing junior club rugby.  A selfless child who would always and continues to put others’ needs ahead of his own. Milan 5 and Ben 9 He is the kind of brother you would want in your corner. As a child he didn’t rebel because of all the attention that was given to Ben, neither did he complain. In fact, he simply jumped on the same bandwagon I was on and supported his brother just as much as I did. As the younger brother, Milan made it easy for me to provide the support that Ben desperately needed in such a competitive environment and I will always be grateful to him for th...

Fly My Winged Child Through the eyes of a Flying Fijian mum Rugby has given me so many traveling opportunities. In fact, most of my overseas trips have mostly been centered around Ben’s rugby. As I sat back sipping my tea at 35,000 feet on a flight to Fiji, (I know this because the pilot had just mentioned this over the intercom) I remember smiling to myself reminiscing about our first rugby overseas trip. It is amazing what a rugby world cup year can do to your thought processes when you realise that your child will be playing on a rugby world cup stage where millions of people will be watching.  It is perhaps the pinnacle in the career of any professional rugby player. The year was 2003 and coincidentally it was also a rugby world cup year just as it is this year. Australia was playing host. Whilst rugby fans all over the world were flying into Sydney, my younger son  and I were flying out to New Zealand with the Under 12 Manly Marlins Rep team that Be...

Fly My Winged Child Through the eyes of a Flying Fijian mum Ben in his favourite red boots Ben was 3 when I first saw him running around his grandparent’s home imitating his idol, the world's legendary Fiji 7’s player Waisale Serevi. “Evi, Evi look at me mummy!” Ben would shout whilst whizzing through our lounge room in his favourite red boots.  As he stepped between seats and a coffee table, I would cringe hoping he wouldn’t break my mother’s vases or table lamps. Anything that looked remotely like a ball he would kick or throw and call me to join him. Ben’s love for rugby was infectious but never in a million years did I dream that I was raising a future Flying Fijian. My dad - back row 3rd from right 1st XV Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester You could say rugby runs in our blood. My dad, Ratu Peni Volavola played rugby at school and then at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, England. Both my grandfathers also played the s...

Fly My Winged Child Through the eyes of a Flying Fijian Mum New Zealand have the All Blacks, Australia have the Wallabies, Japan have the Cherry Blossoms (to name just a few); and Fiji have the Flying Fijians. My Flying Fijian at 7 months Rising to the ranks of an Elite sports person and then trialing to represent your country is extremely challenging; and being a parent of such an individual brings its own set of challenges. You look on to see that your child can be loved one moment and despised the next. Cheered and jeered at the same time either at games or in the media and as a parent you sit quietly and take it all in. Something I've mastered over the years. But so true is the song "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" sums up the characteristics of such elite sporting personalities. It is their tenacity and self belief to keep on going despite it all that makes them who they are. As the mother of Flying Fijian Ben Volavola, I have b...