Profile: Nels Sasulu

LOCAL PROFILE – NELS SASULU Samoa’s loss is our gain

By Penny Edmanson

We can blame COVID for many inconveniences –lockdowns, cancellations of holiday plans, home-schooling and general melancholy, but it has brought one big bonus to our town and particularly our youth in the extended stay of Neli (aka Nels) Sasulu and his family.

Nels’ family come from the Polynesian Islands of Samoa where a large part of his extended family still live. Nels was born in New Zealand shortly after his family emigrated. Like a true Samoan, Nels has always loved rugby. He has played since he was five years old, progressing to play professionally for Manu Samoa and semi-professionally for private Rugby Sevens teams that toured the Pacific and throughout Europe.

Nels was passionate about his sport and was disappointed when he had to retire from the professional ranks due to injuries.

Nels met his wife Zoe in Australia when he was here to visit some family members. After some time in New Zealand, where their second and third children were born, they settled in Melbourne, completing their family with two more babies.

Connection to family and culture have always been important to Nels, with regular trips back to his home island of Upolu where both his parents’ villages (Lalomanu and Saleapaga) are situated on the south-east coast – a tropical paradise.

As Nels says, ‘Life is so simple, peaceful and connected in Samoa’. On their last visit three years ago, the children felt the same way and were really reluctant to return to Australia, so Nels and Zoe made the major decision to relocate.

They plan to live in Saleapaga on family-owned land. They put their Melbourne house on the market, packed their belongings and moved in with Zoe’s mother in Anglesea, for what they thought would be a short stay.

Little did they know that by the time their house had sold, COVID would hit and Samoa would close its borders.

Nels Sasulu and his family have made a great contribution to community life after finding themselves based in Anglesea longer than expected due to the COVID pandemic.

Nels has certainly not been idle in his prolonged stay in Anglesea. Following a casual conversation with Marcelle Renkin, Program Coordinator at Anglesea Community House, about reaching out to the local youth of Anglesea and Aireys Inlet, the idea of ‘Active Kids, Active Futures’ was born.

Nels has a special place in his heart for young people and never more so than in this current climate of uncertainty where, as he says, ‘it seems more vital than ever to promote health and exercise that today’s youth can implement in their daily lives to keep them physically and mentally healthy’. He explains that, ‘adolescence was a pivotal time in my life for beginning to make important decisions that would impact my future. I had a few key figures during those years that really made a difference.

‘I feel the Active Kids Active Futures program will have succeeded if we can do the same for even just one kid who might need a hand up.’ The initial kick-start program was run during the July school holidays with two sessions a week. Session content included personal goal setting, functional strength training at the Body Sculpting and Fitness Gym in Torquay, learning the fundamentals of boxing, and kayaking on the Anglesea River.

What an awesome range of activities to appeal to young people! An added bonus after each session was the healthy lunch of sandwiches, home baking and fruit provided by Nels’ wonderful wife Zoe.

In spite of a hectic lifestyle with five children ranging from secondary school age to kindergarten, Zoe and Nels have found time to give further to the community. They are actively involved in organising and running the Anglesea basketball program. Nels gives credit to Rebecca Gilbert, Jane Calder and the Blakeney family for laying the

foundations. He downplays his own contribution, saying, ‘with five children that all love basketball it just made sense for us to help out’. His care for children is evident when he describes how proud he is to see the Anglesea kids ‘develop good characteristics and make new friends while having tons of fun playing basketball’. He clearly feels this is just as significant as the fact that some of the junior teams in the last couple of years have either won their grade or finished in the top two.

The program currently has 65 individuals participating across eight teams from fundamental level right through to men’s and women’s competitions held in Torquay, so more assistance would be welcome.

Anyone keen to get involved as a player or to just help out, can contact Nels (see his details on the right). He also encourages everyone to search and ‘like’ their Facebook page Anglesea Basketball.

Nels Sasulu is running the Active Kids Active Futures program for young people in Anglesea and Aireys Inlet, and has been instrumental in expanding the Anglesea Basketball program. Nels intends the Active Kids Active Futures pr ogr am to continue to r un in each school holiday break, including Christmas.

The majority of sessions are delivered at the Anglesea Community Hall, so it’s a great opportunity for local young people to keep busy, healthy and fit.

Enquiries can be directed to the Community House T: 5263 2116. Contact Nels on mobile 0416 131 637 or via email nsasulu@gmail.com