SHE debuted for the national netball team as a 16-year-old in 1986 and is a three-time Pacific Games gold medallist.
Former national netball team captain Vasiti Vugakoto loves netball. A deadly shooter and strong athlete, she was an absolute delight to watch on the courts and a class act as well.
In early April, Vugakoto was elected as the new president of Suva Netball Association for a two-year term which expires next year.
Vugakoto, who was also president of SNA in 2008 and 2009, hopes to achieve many goals in two years.
Exciting times lie ahead for SNA with Vugakoto ready to take the sport to another level.
Vugakoto’s long term goal as president is to secure a home for SNA by leasing a court for training and regular club games.
“Short-term goals – send one or two teams to New Zealand or Australia. Also increase the number of Oceania umpire badge holders,” she said.
“Medium-term goals – arrange for some club coaches to get level one and level two (coaching qualifications). Also, buddy with overseas club(s) to send players for exposure.”
SNA is the biggest affiliate of Netball Fiji and has had supermarket giant NewWorld as its major sponsor for many years now.
Vugakoto said SNA had close to 500 members.
“Over the years, NewWorld Suva Netball Association has produced a lot of national reps and household names in the country,” she said.
“SNA has been the champion association (for many years) in the annual (NF Inter-District Championship). For all grades – A, B, and under – 21, we are the defending champion.
“Our target is to maintain the lead this year.”
Having the ability to play well in three different sports, the super talented Vugakoto chose netball over volleyball and basketball when the time came to make a decision.
The support of her parents played a major role and contributed immensely to Vugakoto’s netball success.
“I come from a family of seven. We eat, talk and sleep netball,” she said.
“Netball is a family sport. This is one sport we all love playing and talking about around our dining table. My parents (Tevita Vugakoto and Tuipolotu) always encouraged me and my siblings to play the sport since our young days and followed us to all our weekly games.
“They encouraged and motivated us to one day wear the national colours which I did in 1986 at the age of 16. My siblings Timaima Vulimailaucala and Tuipulotu McLennan joined me later in 1994. We all played together in 1995 – the South Pacific Games in Tahiti and won the gold medal.
“In 1987 I was a national athletics trialist for 200m and 400m but picked netball instead because I love netball. Netball was and will always be in my blood.”
It was in 1985 when a 15-year-old Vugakoto represented Fiji in volleyball against a visiting Japanese team.
A year later, she debuted for the national netball team in the 7th World Netball Championship held in Scotland.
She retired from national netball duties in 2003 after the WNC in Jamaica but still plays competitive netball at club level.
Vugakoto was good in basketball as well. She played for the national women’s basketball team during the 1997 Mini Pacific Games in American Samoa where the side won bronze medal.
In total, Vugakoto has featured in four WNC, one youth WNC, once in the World Games, five Pacific Games and a Mini Pacific Games – a milestone achievement.
A mother of three boys and anad two girls now, Vugakoto works at Bank South Pacific in Suva. Her academic qualifications are noteworthy. She has Masters in Business Administration, a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Diploma in Applied Computing.
There is no doubt, a fine lady of Vugakoto’s calibre still has a lot to offer to netball and sky is the limit for her.
On and off the court, Vugakoto is truly an inspiration for today’s generation.
