Nik's Story (Roleystone Community College, Australia, 2022) sits within the Focus on Ability program as a short, observant piece about sightlines and shifts in understanding. The film draws on themes including accident, achievement, perception and viewpoint, and touches on school life, trainers, group dynamics, wrestling and the practical realities of wheelchair use and physical disability. It does not prescribe a single message. Instead it invites viewers to notice moments that challenge assumptions and reveal resilience in everyday settings. Presented by a community college, Nik's Story offers a clear, humane addition to a festival devoted to the abilities, experiences and achievements of people with disability.
He is very loyal to people that are then loyal to him and as much as you're able to put out, he's able to put into you at the same time. He's a very interesting teacher. He has his own methods. Sometimes he can be tougher than most. He really wants the best out of you and not only as a wrestler but as a person. Ever since I started, Nick has made me into someone I always wanted to be. I pretty much get the 100% honest answers from Nick whenever he's out training or whenever he's giving me advice on my matches. He's afraid to speak his mind. If he thinks something doesn't make sense or just doesn't look good, he won't hesitate to speak up. My name is Nick Tehuta Toaparana. I'm from Matamata, New Zealand. I'm currently 47 years old. I was born in 1975. I just finished a career in rugby union here in WA and I do a few representation groups and stuff playing for Western Australia and playing for Waikato back home, travelling to New Zealand under-19s, travelling to Australia under-21s and actually go ask them to turn them down. But my whole plan here was actually just to come here for a bit of a fun time here in Perth. I ended up staying and I happened across a website. It was about the Wild Samoan Training Centre and I looked it up. One of my heroes was on there. They were part of the WWF Tag Team Champions, the Hedge Hookers. Hedge Hooker Samu was one of the trainers there. To me, that was really a big thing for me. I didn't know that wrestling was a training thing. I thought it was more of a cultural American thing. I knew nothing about the training. I just decided to email them because I've always been a wrestling fan since I was a kid. I used to wrestle with 3 or 4 different kids when I was 8 years old and just beating up kids and suplexing them and getting in trouble or whatever it may be. So I've always loved wrestling since I was a kid even though I wasn't able to watch it. That's when I signed up. I contacted them. They gave me an email back. We started emailing to and fro. I never thought it was ever going to be a real big thing but I ended up moving to America and there you go. It's been a big part of my career and passion for wrestling and learning the trainings. It's an ounce of the whole business. I've learned a lot, that's for sure. But here I take anybody that's not an athlete, not ever been sporting, not ever been very academically smart but they come here and I make each other fit. They don't fit when they leave but everybody that comes here is united as one happy family. And that's what I like to say as my mentor. It's a place they feel safe. It's a place they feel supported. Ever since I've had my accident and become a paraplegic, there's a lot more challenges now that I've ever faced. I've had carers come in and pretty much help me do my daily showering and stuff like that. There's health issues and being in hospital a lot and just in general not being able to do things immediately. I want to fly back to New Zealand but there's so much. Back to New Zealand for a visit? I haven't been home in 20 years. Go for your dreams but also make sure you're a good person as you go through it. Go for your dreams but also make sure you're a good person as you go through it. Go for your dreams but also make sure you're a good person as you go through it.
Filmmaker
Roleystone Community College is the filmmaker behind this entry.
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Roleystone Community College.
