Aussies Abroad #1 – Nehemiah Mote
In the inaugural installment of Aussies Abroad for 2025, Volleyball Australia caught up with Nehemiah Mote who is currently donning the jersey of the Berlin Recycling Volleys in Germany.
Born in Sydney to Samoan parents who had made the move to Australia in the 1980s to improve the quality of life of their respective families and communities, Nehemiah has eight siblings: five sisters and three brothers.
After beginning his volleyball journey at 19, Nehemiah has been involved with the sport for 12 years, and reflects fondly on his unique introduction to volleyball.
“I was first introduced to the sport through our church’s ‘Pulega Games’, an annual sports event for Samoan Congregationalist churches in Sydney that involved sports such as Samoan Cricket (Kirikiti), Volleyball (on grass) and Touch Footy,” Mote said.
“Pursuing sports outside of school or church wasn’t allowed by my parents; they felt that education was the best way towards a prosperous life and sport would be a distraction.
“But being the first to make university made my parents loosen the reins on their initial feelings towards sport and I was allowed to join a club.
“2012 was the year I learnt about the game, and the year that the volleyball journey began. I was 19.”
Unlike many of our ‘Aussies Abroad’, Nehemiah did not progress through the typical volleyball pipeline, but rather his passion and talent for the sport made everything happen so quickly.
“I did not come through the ‘pipeline’, my journey was unique and therefore there is a huge sense of pride in retrospect,” he said.
“The desire to learn how to spike properly prompted me to join Baulkham Hills Volleyball Club in 2012.
“I used to commute for two hours – two trains, one bus – to play a mixed social volleyball game on Sundays after church, eating my to’ona’i (Sunday roast) on the train.
“Later that year we travelled to Canberra to compete in the Good Neighbour tournament, and after playing a match against Canberra Heat I was approached by Russell Borgeaud and Ben Hardy, retired national team players.
“They asked me who I was, where I’m from, and if I’d consider pursuing the sport seriously.
“I gave them my contact details which would be forwarded to the Development Coach at the AIS, Dan Ilott.
“For months he tried contacting me, but my policy at the time was to ignore private numbers, but eventually my wife Mara, then girlfriend, convinced me to answer the call.
“He pitched the move to the AIS, of the opportunity to train full-time, to have access to elite coaching and sports science and medicine, in the hope of becoming a professional in 3-5 years.
“The decision to go down for the three-month-trial was made easy after learning that I’d be on a full scholarship.
“I decided to give it a crack, and I had the backing of my family, and although it was very difficult to leave home, I had a responsibility to them, I could not mess around and waste time and energy because they were rooting for me.
“I joined a club in 2012, debuted for the national team in 2013, and signed my first professional contract in 2014, and now I’ve been playing at the highest level now for 11 years.
“The hard work I put in continued to open more possibilities and soon turned from playing outdoor volleyball at Eschol Park Sport Complex in Eagle Vale for Camden EFKS, to playing in front of 10,000 people in Poland for the Volleyroos within a couple of years.”
After joining the AIS, Nehemiah perfected his skillset as a middle blocker which has since given him ability to support his family through the sport he loves.
“I am most proud of how volleyball has been a means to help my immediate family in my single years,” he said.
“And now that I have a family of my own, I’m able to provide for them and give them an adventurous and unique life with a lot more memories to make before hanging up the boots.”
With his career milestones coming by so fast, Nehemiah was able to navigate the transition into moving and competing overseas with ease, thanks to his strong mindset and positive outlook.
“Because everything happened so quickly, moving overseas was just another new event that needed quick adaptation,” Mote said.
“I hustled, kept riding the wave and did my best to control what I could, which was how I approached training, how I prepared for matches, and how I treated others.
“I was nervous, but being a rookie, I didn’t feel the same weight of expectation that the older guys carried, nor did I expect too much of myself.
“Everything was new, no one knew me, and I knew no one in the volleyball world which was a superpower.
“Playing volleyball abroad immerses you in the culture of the country you are based in, as well as the language, ideas and friendships of the team which is fascinating.
“I find enjoyment in creating these memories for my children that would have otherwise not been possible if not for professional sport.
“Playing abroad physically plucks you out of what’s familiar and challenges you to establish a new comfort in an unfamiliar environment.”
During his years spent in the sport, and all the incredible achievements Nehemiah has accomplished, he knows that it is the strong influence of his family and culture that helped him get where he is today.
“Everything I needed to navigate and brave the journey, I attribute to my parents,” he said.
“What I needed to endure hardship and adversity, I attribute to my wife. The reminder to seek joy always, I attribute to my children.
“Being Samoan and the importance of that to me has been impactful to my career. Being Samoan informs how I walk, how I talk, and how I treat others.
“Being an athlete is the appreciation of those whose shoulders you stand on.
“Being an athlete, especially in team sports, means selflessness, understanding you are a part of something bigger without sacrificing your individuality.
“It is discipline, pushing the limits, and exercising resilience when things don’t go your way.”
To any young Australian volleyball players who are aspiring to travel abroad to compete, Nehemiah shares that the best way to prepare for big games is during the weeks leading up to a match, rather than on the day of.
“The game is played weeks and days before a big competition,” Mote said. “It is how you prepare prior that will take care of your mental state.
“There is no switch, there is only a preparation gauge, and how well you prepare will not directly affect the outcome of the game, but it has a direct impact on your personal performance and therefore, your team’s chances of success.
“Some advice I’d give to anyone just starting their volleyball career is to write down your goals and align them with values.
“This can act as your compass, go through a process of self-reflection and accountability daily.
“Make ‘you’ your only competition not others, make today be yesterday’s trophy and win it. Woah that’s a bar, copyright that.”
