The young sports star in making

Not many people play five different types of sports, let alone juggle the physical load amidst coaching.

Well 11-year-old Maraekaiti Nepia does exactly that, and he has been rewarded for his sporting efforts at this year’s Franklin Junior Sports Awards.

The young sports star won three awards at the ceremony: Under 13 Sportsman of the Year award, Junior Coach of the Year award and the Rising Star award.

Maraekaiti said he was delighted to receive the accolades. ’’I was pretty excited and happy when I got it because I had never (won) an award that big before.’’

The junior sportsman plays touch rugby, rugby and rugby league, and participates in athletics and swimming.

Rugby is his favourite sport - he plays first fiveeighth. ‘‘It’s a lot (more fun) than other sports. ‘‘[There are] a lot of skills involved.’’ Despite rugby being his favourite type of sport, the multi-disciplinary sports star has made widespread achievements in the other sports he participates in.

He has made the Counties Manukau Under 12 elite touch rugby team, placed third at the touch nationals and placed second at the 2017 Northern Tri-Series at Massey in Auckland.

But the multitude of achievements don’t stop there.

Maraekaiti has competed in national rugby league tournaments, inter-school athletics tournaments and represented his school at swimming sport zone days.

Playing sports isn’t his only forte, he also teaches people how to play sport.

Maraekaiti coaches junior and littlie teams for rippa rugby, touch rugby and football, and said he coaches because of the satisfaction he gets from seeing the youngsters play.