Rodney Holt was born in Australia. When he was a year old, his family moved to Italy where he grew up. Rodney became interested in sports early, playing football in the street after school and learn to ski when he was nine. Rodney studied hotel management in Italy in 1981 in Cortina D ÄôAmpezzo then from 1984 to 1987 in Sydney and universities ONE in Australia. Working as a chef and businessman, he lived in Bali and Southeast Asia since 1992. He was the first player to play Rugby Bali Indonesia rugby team in 2007 and won the sports personality Bali of the year in 2007. Prior to founding Bali sports Foundation, co-founder Rodney Bali Rugby Union, initiated various sporting events, such as Hotair! Kite surfing, Sanur Village Sports Festival and most recently Ocean Swim Bali, Bali stickfighting Challenge and Beach Games Bali.
The college organized a day trip to the ski fields outside Rome winter. The organizers had three tickets, so they asked the Grade 6 students in high school if anyone was interested in going. I had never been skiing or even considered, but something in me I raise my hand. The next thing I knew I was going to learn to ski. The first couple of times were discouraging, but at the end of this winter, I had got the hang of it. One way or another, the skiing was to shape the rest of my life.
What was your proudest moment in your sporting career?
The competition for 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, and the FIS World Cup in 1992-93 in speed skiing.
What types of work you have done in your life?
A mixed bag really. I feel life is too short to focus on one thing, so I AOVE worked all kinds of jobs, from shoveling elephant dung in a circus during my school holidays to escort King Gustav of Sweden on helicopter ski trips in the Alps. I worked as a AOVE betweener for Hanna-Barbera animations, as a bodyguard for a music impresario bringing evangelical groups in Italy. Since arriving in Asia, I AOVE run sports events, chef, Äôed Hyatt and Aman, created my own business in Bali and Singapore, has produced a couple of books on Balinese history, articles written for newspapers and magazines, develop sports federations, contributed to the creation of a museum, and recently opened Singapore, Warung Babi Guling first AOS.
How interested are you in Bali?
To be honest, I never even considered visiting Bali. It was only after my father died in 1992 and was looking for a new chapter in my life to start a job to open the Italian restaurant for Amanusa in Nusa Dua came. I decided to take it. I AOVE been in Southeast Asia since.
What, AOS Bali Sports Foundation all about?
The idea was first mine, but only barely. After years of organizing, sponsoring and helping the sport primarily oriented expatriates, I felt it was time to focus on disadvantaged young Indonesians. There is no greater disadvantage in Bali and Indonesia as people with disabilities. Seeing that others shared my dream, I put together the organization with their support. From the beginning, the idea was to use sport as a personal and physical development tool of youth with disabilities in Bali and other islands.
What kind of sports programming is the foundation of supply?
We focus on Disabled / Special Needs / adaptive sports. BSF is running swimming programs for autism, cerebral palsy, blind, dumb and young amputees; blind and deaf dumb judo self defense; amputee powerlifting and sitting volleyball. We also organize regular wheelchair basketball league in Bali International School, and we look forward to offering shooting wheelchair and paratriathlete programs.
Doesn, AOT the formation of the government offer in team sports?
Like everything else in Indonesia, programs and regulations here are in line with global standards, but the problem lies in the implementation, resources and execution. We aim to fill those holes, to cover the areas of government doesn, AOT reach. We introduced new sports facilities and provided opportunities for people with disabilities and ultimately seek to help in our own small way to improve Indonesia, AOS standing in disabled sports, which was highlighted recently in year, last AOS London Paralympics in which Indonesia has sent four competitors. This meant that Indonesia had one competitor representing all 61 million of its population. However, Malaysia has sent 22 competitors in a population of 29 million, and Thailand sent 50 competitors in a population of 67 million. Thus Malaysia had one competitor for each of its 1.3 million population, and Thailand has one competitor for each of its 1,340,000 population.
Yes, when BSF can afford. Every year since 2010 BSF took a group of young boys to soccer Balinese Sixes CSC. In 2012, we sent martial arts students for the Karate Association of Western Australia. In January 2014, BSF will send a basketball team in a wheelchair in Singapore.
In addition to sports, the foundation will teach other life skills?
We try to teach our children to be humble and strong, disciplined, achieve their goals, to show respect for all and lead a healthy life. With people with disabilities, sport helps build self-esteem and gives great satisfaction to be part of a larger community. BSF is particularly focused on the introduction of integrated Sports; sports played by both able and disabled, eg blind football and wheelchair basketball, people are able bodied to be able to appreciate what it AOS like living with a disability and thus generate greater understanding and empathy.
Is BSF have future plans?
Yes, this year BSF created and organized the first ParaGames here in Bali with 349 parathletes in six sports. For next year, we plan to increase the number in terms of sports and parathletes. We plan to send parathletes the ASEAN Paralympics in 2015 and the Rio Paralympics in 2016.
I know you still love to compete. After sailing for Italy, skiing for Australia, playing rugby for Indonesia, what are you doing now?
I keep my love contact sports. I AOVE been selected as a member of the Indonesian team that will compete in Arnis Eskrima, a Filipino martial arts style. I won a bronze medal in my last tournament. I also like playing wheelchair basketball every week.
How can help readers to base?
volunteers, donations and suggestions are always welcome by contacting us at www.balisports.com.