THE sound of bouncing balls and crowded community courts have been part of Vika Kuboutawa’s life for as long as she can remember.
Long before she became a point guard for the Dynamic Red’s women’s basketball team, she was simply a young girl attending Saturday basketball clinics in Raiwaqa, Suva surrounded by a community where the sport is deeply rooted in family and culture.
“I began playing basketball when I was little,” Kuboutawa said.
“I joined one of the clinics or development programs that we usually have in Raiwaqa every Saturday when I was five years old and I’ve been playing ever since.”
Basketball was never just a weekend activity for Kuboutawa; it became part of everyday life, connecting families and the wider community.
Growing up in a family and community strongly connected to basketball helped shape her passion and commitment to the sport, eventually leading to representing Fiji on the world stage.
“My whole family except my mother plays basketball. We love to call it a family affair sometimes,” she shared.
In 2012, Kuboutawa was part of Fiji’s first team to participate in the 3×3 basketball competition at Coffs Harbour in Australia – a milestone she remains proud of today.
Years later, Kuboutawa continues to carry that passion into the Vodafone Cup as one of the senior players guiding the next generation of Dynamic Reds as well defending their title in the tournament.
According to Kuboutawa, many of the current players are secondary school students bringing fresh energy and enthusiasm into the team.
“We have new players joining the team and most of them are high school students, but they have been playing for the school teams, so we’ve got a new set of skills and ideas joining the team.”
Beyond competition, Kuboutawa hopes to continue contributing to the development of basketball in Raiwaqa and across Fiji, inspired by leaders within the local basketball community.
She acknowledged the Raiwaqa Basketball Association president, Mrs Namolli, for motivating girls and women to pursue leadership roles in the sport.
As the Vodafone Fiji Cup nears, Kuboutawa hopes the tournament can inspire more young people and families around Fiji to embrace basketball, especially those outside the Central Division.
“We want basketball to be known throughout the nation, not just here in Suva,” she said.
For Kuboutawa, the sport has already given her a lifetime of memories, opportunities and purpose. Now, she hopes the next generation will continue building on that legacy — one Saturday clinic at a time.
