IT was in 2019 when Yunny Patrick got the call to realise his dream to play in the semi-professional Digicel Cup competition, the same year his father passed away leaving him to take care of his mother and two younger sisters as the elder son along with his university studies.
Mr Patrick who is now set to graduate with Batchelor in Accounting from the Southern Cross University (SCU) through the Institute of Business Studies University (IBSU) said 2019 was a toughest year and a transition point in his life.
He said it was a great feeling when he got the call to achieve his rugby league dream to play in the Digicel Cup, but he was hit hard when his father died.
“I grew up very close to my dad and when he died, I was down with depression. It may be too early now to say I got everything a son should adopt from his father. Even though dad passed away but nothing changes,” Patrick said.
“The only thing that I regret is that, as the only son, my father did not live to see his grandchildren and he did not live to see me graduate. Apart from that I am the definition of the relationship between me and my father. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink and I don’t chew. I don’t even leave the house. After school I go home then I go to the rugby field and get back home when I am done. The family stays as it was, nothing has changed.”
Yunny Patrick developed the desire to play rugby in an early age when residing in Wild life, near Erima in Port Moresby that saw him taking part in the local competitions growing up. While playing rugby league Patrick also joined Harlequins union team making him a dual code player who competed in the Capital Rugby Union competition.
Patrick recalled his time with Harlequins as the best and the reason he is where he is today. In 2018, with his man of the match performance, he snatched a win with a golden point field goal that triumph Wadawada United 19- 18 over L & A Bulldogs to claim the Moresby South Rugby League (MSRL) title. A match that put Patrick on the spotlight where he got called by two PNG Rugby League Competition, the Digicel Cup franchise Gulf Iso and NCDC Vipers to make their 2019 train on squad.
A week after MSRL title Patrick was part of the Harlequin union team that claimed the CRU 2018 title over their rivalry, Brothers to sum up the year.
Everything Patrick wanted and worked hard for in rugby league is finally falling in place, but he still has the desire to graduate out of the university that keeps knocking at the back of his mind. Patrick chose Gulf Isou and made his PNGNRLC debut in 2018 season. Isou missed out on top six that year and Patrick was released by the club the following year. Patrick later moved on to join the Agmark Gurias in their 2019 preseason but did not make the final team. He then returned to Port Moresby and later joined NCDC Vipers in 2021. Vipers made the finals but could not finish on top. Petrik was awarded the Chairmans’s choice award that year. Being named in the pool of experience players for the 2022 season Yunny Patrick was surprised by the club management with the Vice captain responsibility during their season launched.
“Out of all the experience players who played with Vipers for about three top four years, it is a privilege and honour to lead the team, it’s a Moresby team and I was very happy to lead the team,” Patrick said.
While spending most of his time in the rugby field Patrick said it is self-discipline and time management that enable him to obtain his Accounting Degree. He said he did not want to quit rugby because of his studies, however, he managed his time. In that way he gets paid for playing rugby and the money helped him to pay for his studies. He also said in IBS they use module and for SCU we use black board to do our studies online.
“What IBSU and SCU is doing to benefit me where I juggle my studies and rugby league and anything apart from studies is the online. That how I get my notes and lectures. When I miss classes in can go online and download the videos. We don’t miss out on anything,” he said.
“I can be playing rugby in Goroka and my colleges can be having a class at the same time. I can still go online and download it online and stay up to date with the class. This have really benefited me.”
Patrick added that the only challenge he went through is the aftermath of rugby matches. Rugby as a physically contact sport he normally goes through some painful recovery and that takes up his time to complete some of his assignments and affect his studies. However, Patrick said to him life is about happiness and satisfaction and therefore, he is doing what he does to find happiness. Patrick is confirmed to graduate early next year with SCU Accounting degree. He is given the option to either decide to graduate here in the country at IBSU 11-mile campus or down in Australia.
