Left to right: Fa’alogo Tana Umaga, Vagana Linda Vagana and Ta’ala Cynthia Ta’ala-Timaloa.
On Friday 1st November 2024, Moana Pasifika and the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Group hosted a leaders wellness workshop for community coaches and managers.
The panel included Head Coach of Moana Pasifika Fa’alogo Tana Umaga, former Silver Fern Vagana Linda Vagana and former cross-code athlete Ta’ala Cynthia Ta’ala-Timaloa.
There were under 100 people who attended representing a variety of sports including rugby, league, netball, football, tag, touch and rowing.
There were also a large number of people from schools and organisations aimed at getting Pasifika youth moving and involved in sport.
The panelists shared their experiences working with athletes and how they’ve helped them through different challenges.
They spoke about setting high expectations, embracing our values while also encouraging leaders and youth to be unapologetically Pasifika.
Using social media in a safe way, getting to know every player well and helping children who may experience anxiety were also topics that the panelists discussed.
PMA Group Community Events Coordinator, Sera Mika, said: “this was the first wellness and wellbeing workshop for Pacific leaders in Sport that we have hosted. We felt the need to host one because it’s very rare we hear from our own people in roles like Fa’alogo Tana, Vagana Linda and Ta’ala Cynthia.”
“Hearing from our own and their experiences which empowers our leaders in grassroots sports.”
Mika added: “coaches want more of this because it was real. It was by our people, for our people and delivered by our people.”
The next event on the community calendar is Moana Pasifika’s annual 7s cup on Saturday 7th December. You can register your interest here.
ENDS
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