Fetuao Tamala may never have played rugby, but that has not stopped her from becoming an influential figure in the development of the sport in Samoa.
With a background in teaching, Fetuao’s ability to impart knowledge in an empathetic manner has seen her become Assistant Coach of Samoa’s women’s Sevens team and Head Coach of the Savaii Queens.
“Actually, I never played rugby, but mingling with the players and helping to mould them to become successful individuals through rugby is rewarding,” Fetuao told World Rugby.
“Upskilling on the technical side of rugby, and creating a positive environment and mindset for the ladies, will help them become better citizens of Samoa in the future.”
As well as helping the development of players, Fetuao is also keen to grow as a coach herself, with her participation in the Gallagher High Performance Academy providing an opportunity to learn from other coaches from across the world, some of whom have played at international level.
“I want to be the number one female coach for Samoa and to help improve my players’ characters, both on and off the field,” she said.
“I am looking forward to seeing myself confidently coaching the Manusina, and seeing my players make it to the elite team.
“The Gallagher High Performance Academy programme will help me experience and gain confidence in coaching an elite team and be familiar with the pressure of such a position.
“This will also expand my pool of professionals who I can tap into for help in improving our local girls.
“This is a very rewarding initiative for us in smaller nations, and it gives female coaches the opportunity to upskill themselves in all areas of the game and to help increase the number of females coaches in high performance roles.”
