To those who had doubts on Team Australia, Nehemiah Mote aka NEMO has a very special message for you. The 19 year old also took time to thank those who have always been there for him and for the team.
Nemo says…
“We did it.
People rode us off, we stood fast.
People undervalued us, underestimated us, we were neglected, we were bullied, we were unwelcome…
Lucky we don’t listen to these people. Lucky we hold firm to the voice of OUR PEOPLE.
OUR families, OUR friends, OUR country, in all its colourful glory, in all its passion, in its fight and in its spirit.
You’ve been the best Sydney! The Volleyroos are indebted to you. All we ask of you now is your prayer. And what we can offer in return is our complete promise that we will fight for you with unrelenting will.
We’re coming for you Italy. Here goes nothin’!”
Thoughts?
In case you didn’t know, Nemo was recently featured in an article released by the FIVB:
Two years ago, 19-year-old Nehemiah Mote was playing social volleyball with his Campbelltown Church Group, as blissfully unaware of the Australian Olympic volleyball team as they were of him.
He only played volleyball because his father had once played for Samoa, and because he loved the team environment, he was good at the sport – very good as it turned out.
Mote has been on an incredible journey, which started when an onlooker tipped the Australian Institute of Sports about a kid playing for a church team who was pretty exceptional.
The Australian Institute of Sports sent a scout to investigate until the scout excitedly reported back that the kid was the “real deal”, the organisation immediately offered Mote a scholarship.
“It’s pretty hard for me to come to terms with the gravity of what I’m doing right now,” Mote said. “Being part of the national team is pretty big. It’s a great opportunity. I didn’t really play proper volleyball until 2012, when I joined a club, and I haven’t looked back.”
Australia coach Jon Uriarte is privately very excited about the player everyone affectionately calls “Nemo”, and with good reason.
At 2.04m, Mote is not even close to the tallest person in the Volleyroo squad. But his spike reach of 3.62m and his block reach of 3.54m are the best on the team – even greater than 2.12m Thomas Edgar.
Mote is still developing, and after just 12 months as part of the Australian squad, the changes have been impressive.
“I am still pretty unfit but I have gained about 8 kilograms, which I hope is muscle,” Mote said. “I am just mentally trying to absorb everything – trying to be a sponge. Volleyball has taken me to places I only have studied about in high school. I never thought I would be travelling anywhere, not at this age anyway. I am very fortunate.”
It is quite hard not to be impressed with Mote. During the team’s recent visit to Belgium, every player was asked to name three things Belgium was famous for. Nearly every player mentioned chocolate, beer and pastries – except for Mote, who mentioned the famous “Manneken Pis” statue – not by name, it has to be said, but he knew what he was talking about.
The young player has wisdom and to hear him talk about what he hopes his success will mean for the Samoan community is admirable.
“I just hope I can evoke some sort of inspiration into the Samoan community,” he said. “Not many Samoan people have made it this far, certainly in the male volleyball side, but I definitely want to evoke some sort of belief that we can make it in whatever we do.”
“I’m still coming to grips with the gravity of it. Some of the senior boys have told me just treat it like another training session when I start to feel the pressure, but World League is something totally different. It is worldwide – it is on TV – I just hope I don’t crack under the pressure.”
Mote has stood up to the pressure so far, so much so that Uriarte has named the 21-year-old in his starting line-up in recent Volleyroo matches.
(images: FIVB)
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