Ryan Tongia, with ball, scores a try for the Hawke's Bay Magpies. Photo / Duncan Brown
Ryan Tongia, with ball, scores a try for the Hawke's Bay Magpies. Photo / Duncan Brown
The age of professional sports has seen many young stars fast-tracked through the pitfalls of learning about everyday life to one of luxury and lack of responsibility.
Not having to worry about how much money you have in the bank account or whether a power bill has been paid isthe norm for most young elite athletes. Their life is one of hotels and flights around the world, so it can hardly be classed as normal.
Often the only time we read about these stars off the field is when they are in the news for the wrong reason. Drunken behaviour, and disorderly conduct spring to mind. It may be a minority of players, but they are the images that stick.
But the longer professional sport is around, the more we see a change in the stars - they are more professional.
That is why it was so good to be able to put the story in the paper about Magpies star Ryan Tongia chasing down a shoplifter in Napier this week and apprehending him. What made this story even better was that it was Tongia who was the hero.
You see, only a week before this he had been at Hawke's Bay Today as part of a Magpies Job Swap programme. I am not sure what I was expecting when I opened the door to welcome him in, but what I got was a professional, confident and friendly young man.
What struck me about Ryan was that he was comfortable around people, he was at ease with his "celebrity" status and he treated the person he was talking to with respect.
Some of this is down to the character of the man, but it also shows the effort the codes put in to ensure our stars are well-rounded individuals.
