Listen, understand and apply.
That was the simple, yet powerful message delivered by former Flying Fijian Seremaia Bai to young rugby players of Stella Maris Primary School during a Vacirisalusalu held at the school.
Bai, invited as chief guest, told the students that success in rugby and in life comes down to three key habits, Listening, Understanding and Applying which he shared using the acronym L.U.A.
“Listening is a skill,” he said in an interview with this newspaper.
“If you can listen to your coaches, your parents and your teachers, then you’ll understand what is being said. And once you understand, you apply it. That’s the key to learning, on and off the field.”
The event was held to celebrate Stella Maris’ participation in the Suva Kaji Rugby Association tournament, which ran for 10 weeks.
The school fielded teams across multiple age grades, from under-9 to under-14.
School rugby manager Mere Naulu said the occasion was about more than rugby.
“Today (Friday) we pay tribute to our boys, their parents, and the values they’ve shown. This is how we support grassroots rugby by starting with the values of our school: family, spirit, presence,” Naulu said.
She said these values align with rugby’s own principles, integrity and discipline and create a foundation for the boys as they grow.
“We want our children to develop habits like punctuality and respect. These are life lessons. Some may go on to white-collar jobs. Others may use rugby to earn a living. But the values start here,” she said.
Naulu said Bai was chosen to speak because many of the students belong to his junior rugby club, and his life story is one they can connect with.
“He used rugby as a way to support his family. That’s something real for our children. He’s someone they can look up to.”
