RHETT ELLISON MINESOTA VIKINGS – NFL SPORTS STAR FOOTBALL PROFILE
From playing rugby and cricket at Christchurch’s St Andrew’s College to following in the footsteps of his dad, Rhett Ellison‘s star sports profile is a study. A second-generation Kiwi whose playing NFL football. This time aroud for Minnesota Vikings.
He jokes of noticing the early signs that he was like his dad saying, “I was too tempted to pass the ball forward when I played rugby.” How funny. When I first played Saturday morning rugby at seven, my first game – I scored my first try (in the opposition’s goal line). Lol! Go figure. Doh.
From there, it was up. I did get to tour Aussie at nine years of age. It was a sports trip Kiwi kids that age could only dream of way back then. We fundraised so hard for months to go, so selection was a catch 22. It was worth it. Two cities in Sydney and then onto Brisbane and The Gold Coast. A fun tour. I played open side. Or, sometimes on the wing. A weird reality with an unsual coach, a madman obsessed with winning, who was one of the most enthusiastic people you’d ever meet. He got us to believe we could do anything. Fun for a klutzy kid, who learned to concentrate for the team, as rugby taught me how to do.
Rhett however, seems to be in his element in American football, naturally. So far in his career: Rhett’s had 53 catches for 471 yards (8.9 avg.) with 6 TDs in his career. He had 31 career starts.
I am thinking NFL loves the New Zealand Maori haka so much (Maoris too), it must be very novel to have a real Kiwi in the NFL in the twin cities. Kinda authentic.
Check him. A totally novel sports star for the USA. Dad Riki Ellison must be so proud. Go man go!
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 26.10.12~
