8 August 2021
We catch up with soon to be Father of 10 and our previous Community Sports Dad of the Year winner, Bill Soliola
Back in 2018 local Sydney inner-west resident, Bill Soliola won the Community Sports Dad of the Year award and donated the $5000 winnings to Berala Bears JRLFC. Bill currently has eight children to his beautiful wife Susana. Let’s find out what Bill has been up to recently…
QTell us Bill, how many children do you have and how old are they now?
AI have eight beautiful children and two on the way....
1. Monalisa (Girl) 17 years
2. Elizabeth (Girl) 13 years
3. Tai (Boy) 11 years
4. Tania (Girl) 10 years
5. Sefo (Boy) 8 years
6. Via (Girl) 7 years
7. Nei (Girl) 5 years
8. Lidcombe (Girl) 4 years
QSo soon you will have 10 children, Wow....how do you manage it all and what motivates you to do what you do for the local sports community?
AMy wife is amazing! What motivate are the children and the families. Most importantly the inclusion. Volunteering to me is about giving and not expecting anything back. Making life easier for others and putting smiles on children's faces is what me doing what I do.
QWe know you love Rugby League, are the kids still involved in that sport?
AAll 8 of my children are registered players from the u5s through to the u18s. At 41 years of age, I have also taken the initiative to have a go myself and I am a registered player for our 2021 A Grade St Johns Eagles Rugby League senior team. We moved to that club to give our girls the opportunity to play but I always have a soft spot for the Berala Bears.
QTell us specifically what community work you are doing now with your local footy club?
AI train the u11s boys team and my wife coaches the u14s girls side. I was lucky enough to be named senior club person of the year in 2019 and my son Tai named junior club person of that year. I also volunteer as a 1st aid trainer for all our 28 St Johns Eagles teams, I was also honoured to be named sports trainer of the Canterbury Bulldogs Junior District. As a family we also love to do pick ups and drop offs for players who struggle with transport to and from training and games. We still keep in great contact with our old club, Berala Bears, and we always encourage our community to go there.
QTell us how Covid has had an impact on your life?
AFor the club it's been tough, cancellations and no presentations. Our kids are coping well through this pandemic. Volunteering in the community has helped us be versatile in these trying times. Volunteering in the community you learn to adjust, and make a happy community. During lockdown, we've reverted back to our volunteering mentality to get the family through. Adjusting and keeping positive and still keeping active!