#IWD Stories: Sport is universal

Savea Fitrina Tausisi, also known as ‘Fiti’ is a netball champion for the Team Up-supported One Netball program in Samoa.

Delivered by Netball Samoa, One Netball is working to enable communities to experience lifelong enjoyment, social inclusion and improved physical health through the sport of netball.

“I have a fulltime job as a principal quality assurance officer for the Samoa Qualifications Authority, but I devote all my spare time to the sport of netball”, says Fiti.

“As a member of the SCOPA Netball Club, where I have been a member since I was a teenager, I am a player in the men’s division of the national netball league and a coach. Every day after work I head down to the courts and join my team.

“I was introduced to the wonderful sport of netball when I was 17 years old and a student at the Samoa College. I have continued playing, but also decided to find out what coaching pathways were available to me through Netball Samoa.

“I registered in every coaching course they would let me and became an assistant to the national team coach. Since then, I have been working closely with Netball Samoa, on their new development initiatives.

“The thing I enjoy most about netball and being a coach, is working with the young people involved in the sport, with whom I can share my skills and love of training.

“I believe the One Netball program helps young people realise that, to be the best that you can be, you need to train and set goals. It teaches them balance as there are trade-offs that you have to make if you want to reach your goals. As part of this process, I think it is always important to start with the basics when introducing someone to the sport. You need to walk first before you can run!

“Through my participation in netball, I have learned to be more patient, and my communications skills have improved immensely.

“It is important that growth starts from within. Since joining the One Netball program I see how both myself and the sport have grown, and the ripple effect that growth has had on participation, clubs and overall membership in the sport.

“Sport is universal, and it is a vehicle that can deliver and promote social and health messages. Sport also brings communities together in a safe and fun environment.”