This rugby player has spark!

A-one Lolofie is a 19-year-old who embraces a challenge.

This up-and-coming rugby star balances training with developing his trade skills—he received the Otago Rugby Football Club scholarship and is studying the He Toki Electrical programme at Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga.

“I really like the electrical trade and learning through hands-on activities. I’m really enjoying this course because I’m learning new things every day.”

It’s been a big adventure for the boy from Hastings, who has been playing rugby since the age of five. He spent his childhood on the sidelines of his older brother’s games and couldn’t wait to get onto the pitch himself.

Last year A-one made the New Zealand Schools team, which is designed to introduce young players to the environment of national-level rugby. This year A-one was selected for the Highlanders Under 20’s squad, where A-one continues to work hard to develop his game.

Although it’s tricky to juggle the intense demands of being a high-performance athlete with academic success, A-one stays driven by thinking about his parents, Sina and Avii Lolofie.

“I’m grateful for my parents as they’ve shaped me into the young man I am today—giving back to them would mean a lot to me!”

A-one enthuses about the rugby opportunities in Dunedin, and the doors that have been opened for him since he has received the ORFU scholarship.

“I have learned a lot about the game from the coaches, and it’s valuable to get a feel for playing at a higher level against some really good competition.”

Although he’s kept hopping between classes and training, A-one occasionally finds himself getting homesick for his friends and family back in Hawke’s Bay. He gets through those moments by thinking about how persevering in his endeavours is going to pay off in the long term.

“My dream is to be a professional rugby player at the highest level. Having my papers from this course means that when I decide to hang up the boots, I can find myself a job as a sparkie.”