As part of FISU Oceania’s celebration of International Women’s Day in 2024, we are talking to five women involved in university sport across the Pacific. Our in depth interviews aim to not only highlight the wonderful work women (and others) do in our sector here in Oceania, but to inspire other women and men to follow their passion.
An interview with Sayonara Ala’alatoa – student at the National University of Samoa
The young 16-year-old Sayonara has stepped into her first week of university classes without hesitation. A science student with an eye on medical school and an accomplished Netball player, has a decorated sports and academic history. Coming off a successful year of both netball and academics, she found a moment to share her successes and her hopes for the future.
Sayonara lives in the village of Lotopa, an urban village not far from the netball courts and school. Raised by her mother, she and her two brothers have always been encouraged to be the best that they can be. In addition to being a strong science and maths student at St Mary’s College, Sayonara has always been passionate about sports, especially netball. She has been playing netball since age 7, initially for her school and then for Apia-based clubs.
“The courts are a second home to me. I just love the people and the vibes at the courts.” Admittedly she spent her final year of high school pulling many late nights to accommodate for the demands of both netball training and studying. Sayonara reflected, “Honestly, every day is the same. Two to three hours at the gym and then the court work. Then I get home, and I’m drained. I have no energy to do studies and had to get used to pulling all-nighters to try and finish up my work.”
Presently, Sayonara is in the Faculty of Science at the National University of Samoa competing to secure a scholarship to study at Otago University in 2025. “I need to focus as there are limited scholarships to attend medical school overseas. I want to be a doctor- it is something I see myself doing.”
She admits that netball may not be her top priority this year. “It is a super competitive environment at the National University of Samoa, so I need to prioritize my time, and my studies and focus on each day. It’s like sports- I had to put the time in, every day, to get the results I wanted.”
Netball Samoa’s recent success of securing the Bronze Medal at the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands gave Sayonara another challenge to overcome. Sayonara shared her experience of being the only locally selected National netball player for the recent Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands late last year. “It was a difficult space to be in. I was the only player selected from the local squads to make the national team for the Pacific Games. I was also the youngest. Being only 16 years old, the next youngest player was 22 years old. It was tough on me mentally, but I know that to get somewhere, you must do the work. It is easy to say what you want to do, what you want to become but it’s what you do that matters. The work you put in and how you want to achieve your goal is where you’re going to end up.”
Sayonara’s results in sports also led her to high-level accomplishments in athletics and national awards. Sayonara holds the national school record for a Junior Female one-mile event and was awarded the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Culture top sports award as the Top Female Sportswoman of the Year in 2023.
Sayonara shared that sports will always be part of her life and she intends to participate in local development as much as possible. She knows that fitness and sports engagement will help her accomplish her academic goals too. “I am focused on the now that I don’t think too much about what the future will look like but know that I will have the goal to give back to my family and everything else can come after that.”
Story by Suzie Schuster – Senior Lecturer Health and Physical Education at National University of Samoa
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