* NB this is an update to the below article.  Since we first ran the story in 2018/2019 Alissa has gone on to play College basketball for USC and is currently with the Utah Utes. Samoan/Alaskan native Alissa Pili has been named in Max Preps 'Top 20 High School athletes of the past two decades'. MaxPreps is celebrating 20 years as America's source for high school sports this month and In recognition of 20 years of high school sports coverage, they have been looking back at some of the greatest teams, stories and single-season teams of the past 20 years. They also shared a breakdown of the 20 greatest high school athletes since 2002 which included instantly recognisable names like NBA star Lebron James and Olympian track athlete Allyson Felix. {{29063}} Included in the list was Alissa Pili -  Alissa Pili, Dimond (Anchorage, Alaska) One of two females to win a pair of MaxPreps Athlete of the Year honors, Pili won 13 state championships during her four years at Dimond. She won four state titles in volleyball, two state championships in basketball, four shot put crowns, two discus titles and one state title in wrestling. A two-time MaxPreps basketball All-America selection, Pili holds the state Class 4A basketball scoring record with 2,614 career points and also broke the school record in shot put with a throw of 42 feet, 9.25 inches. She was also dominant in volleyball as a senior, recording 463 kills in 102 sets with 73 aces. Read the full article here  {{29061}} Earlier this year Alissa was also chosen to feature in Champion's 'Get it Girl' campaign featuring hip hop artist Saweetie and 11 other women collegiate athletes in honour of Womens History Month in March. As part of the campaign, each woman selected also receive a two-year Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) investment as official brand ambassadors and access to mentors, helping develop their professional career interests within the areas of sports, entertainment, media, and marketing. Check out the ad in the video above -  {{29485}} - Original article below -  MaxPreps Sports Female High School Athlete of the Year!  2018-19 – Alissa Pili, Dimond (Anchorage, AK): Volleyball, basketball, Track & Field  Meet the young Samoan / Alaskan native athlete who joins Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin as the only two-time winner of the MaxPreps Female High School Athlete of the Year! She joins an elite group of previous athletes of the year including 5 time Olympic Swimming gold medalist Missy Franklin, All American distance runner Jordan Hasay and current WNBA stars Nneka Ogwumike, Chiney Ogwumike and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis! {{9763}} MaxPrep wrote:    13 Alaska state titles are impressive. Four volleyball titles. Two basketball championships. Four shot put crowns. Two discus medals. One wrestling victory. "Ever since I was little, I wanted to compete," she said. "I hate losing. I'd play against the boys, who were bigger, stronger and faster, and that only pushed me to go harder." A two-time MaxPreps basketball All-American, she also holds the state Class 4A basketball scoring record with 2,614 points. In this year's postseason run, Pili dropped 40 points in the 62-57 title win over Bartlett, while adding 22 and 18 in the 46-36 semifinal win over Soldotna, 33 and 19 in a 66-43 quarterfinal win over Ketchikan. Read the full article here {{9765}} Basketball is where she really excels and she was named by ESPN as one of 6 Basketball prospects who lit up the July recruiting trail in 2016 and then followed up with a full standalone feature on Alissa here ESPN said "If you are looking for a no-nonsense power player who simply gets the job done, may we suggest a trip to Alaska? We hear it's nice this time of year. Pili, a sophomore-to-be at Dimond (Anchorage) who played for Alaska Lady Hoops at the End of the Oregon Trail in early July, is versatile in addition to reliable. The mobile 6-foot power forward can defend numerous positions. On offense, she brings superb footwork to the paint and consistently delivers in traffic." {{9769}} We caught up with Alissa who is of Samoan descent and asked her the essentials. Age:           17 Height:       6ft' Position:   Pretty much all positions (lol) School:     Dimond High, Anchorage    Favourite Subject:  Math Goals:  I want to show everyone what I can do. … I want to make it big to help repay my family, especially my parents, for all their support they've given me over the years Family:  My parents are Billy & Heather Pili, I have 4 brothers - Brandon (who is currently playing defensive tackle at USC), Caden, Braden & Billy - and 2 sisters Kayla & Alyna.  The boys all play Football, Basketball & Wrestling except for Billy he just turned 1 & pretty sure he has no choice but to play the same as the older ones lol.  My sister Kayla is 11 and plays Volleyball & Basketball.  Alyna is 4 but she's not playing anything yet. We don't watch much TV we're too busy with sports and if it ain't my games it's my sibs so we're always on the go lol As far as training goes, I play all different sports like my sibs so I don't really focus on one sport. I have learned from my family to not take anything for granted especially when it comes to all the talent, strength and support I have. I know that no matter what my family will always be there for me and support me in whatever I do. {{9777}}   Favourite Poly Dish:   Samoan Sapasui (Chop Suey) Favourite Poly Artist:  Fiji  Favourite Poly Song:  Sosefina by Fiji   Highlights: Alissa has racked up a few awards along the way  * Pride of Alaska Award  * Alaska Girls Basketball Player of the Year  * MaxPrep All American Basketball Honors  * Alaska State champ in Shot put, Discus & Wrestling * Lady Lynx classic MVP * Cook Inlet Conference MVP  * End of Trail Tournament MVP (tournament in Oregon with 200+ teams attending including Nike sponsored teams) * First team All State  . Her father Billy says of her winning the MaxPrep High School Female Athlete of the Year award "To be honest we didn’t really know there was such an award lol, it hasn’t really sunk in that our daughter is the best female athlete across the whole U.S. - that’s a lot of girls to beat out and definitely well deserved for sure.  Alissa is just an all round very gifted athlete and all the glory is to God.  Her sibs are very proud of what her and her brother are doing and that’s setting the bar pretty high for them. She’s a very great role model also for the younger girls to look up to." {{11487}}   We'll be keeping an eye out on this Inspiring Islanders progress as her star continues to rise!    -   Photo Credit:  Fitzgerald Photography, ProspectNation.com & ESPN   Suggested Links:     Half Tongan Jabari Ali Parker selected for Milwaukee Bucks    Samoan NBA Player James Johnson signs with Miami Heat  

She's the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year and this week Utah Womens basketball Forward Alissa Pili balled out against No.1 ranked South Carolina earning her Player of the Week honours with Pac-12 (4th career POTW), The Associated Press and ESPN. She scored a career high 37 against South Carolina earning high praise during the game from South Carolina's Coach and former WNBA great Dawn Staley (video below). {{36004}} Pili's 37 points are the most scored by a Pac-12 player this season. She recorded back to back 30 point performances and opened the week with 31 points in the win against St Joseph's, then added 7 rebounds and 3 assists against the Hawks. ESPN said of the young Samoan / native Alaskan player "The 6ft2 forward has been piling up points this season and is averaging 24.6 per game. {{36007}} Pili was a combined 27 of 40 from the field in those games (against St Josephs and South Carolina), and for the season is shooting 72.1% (93 of 129) and 55.6% overall from behind the arc (20 of 36). Especially with the loss of guard Gianna Kneepkens for the season to a foot injury, Pili is the rock for the Utes." Pili is currently ranked No.4 in points per game this season in the NCAA and 2nd in the nation in field goal percentage. She was recently ranked at no.9 on ESPN's WBB Top 25 players list and earned an honourable mention on the AP Preseason All-American list.   {{36008}} Recently the Committee Sports Group covered both Alissa and fellow Samoan Tehina Paopao (South Carolina Gamecocks Guard) prior to their Utah v South Carolina matchup. Both young women shared a pride in their heritage in a game where not many look like them. “[To be able to represent my culture] it means a lot and I carry it on my shoulders with pride,” Pili said. “The Polynesian culture and even the native culture, they're very prideful people they take pride in where they come from.” She also credits her Dad Billy for being her biggest influence in basketball. "Honestly if I had to choose a person who was my impact would be my Dad, he used to woop us and this man is 5ft7, like that guy is short but he used to woop me and my brother and my brother's 6ft4 ... all the time and so like just playing around with him ..."  Read the full interview here and watch the interview with the girls below - {{36009}} Also, fun fact:  Alissa's older brother Brandon Pili made his debut in the NFL at the beginning of the season with the Miami Dolphins. Another Pili to watch!   {{36010}}

US college basketball player Alissa Pili has been named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. The young Samoan/Native Alaskan becomes the Trojans' first Pac-12 women's basketball Freshman of the Year recipient since 2009 (Briana Gilbreath). She also becomes the first freshman to be named to the All-Pac-12 team since Oregon's Ruthy Hebard and Sabrina Ionescu in 2017. Pili led all Pac-12 freshmen in points per game (16.2) and rebounds per game (8.1) en route to the honor, also amassing a freshmen-best 11 double-doubles this season. {{16551}} Michelle Smith, writing for WBB Notebook Pac12.com shares why she voted for Alissa for Freshman of the Year in the Post Season honours here:  Alissa Pili, USC. There were higher-profile freshmen in this class. Stanford had a few, so did Oregon and Oregon State, but none did more for their team than Alaska native Pili, who has averaged 18.8 points a game in Pac-12 play on a super-young USC team that was hampered by injuries, but still proved a tough out in conference play. She has scored in double digits in 12 straight games, averaging 19.8 points a game over that stretch, and has been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week three times this season, the first time in school history. {{16555}} On the All-Pac 12 team selection: Alissa Pili, USC - Bright young star who carried a young team. {{16552}} She talks her 'bread and butter' after scoring a career high 32 points and 12 rebounds against WSU following their 66-60 victory in the video above.  Alissa's older brother Brandon also attends USC playing College Football - they did the USC Sibling Quiz below  {{16553}}

Highlights of the Women's Beach Volleyball tournament between popular favourites, Vanuatu and Tahiti! Check out this action packed set between two top teams from Oceania at #PacGames2019!

Barbra Auva'a the Beauty Queen who gave up her heels for Nike's, and her gowns for gym wear - Barbra show's us into her world & her new found love for Power Lifting!

Detective Fiao’o Faamausili has been nominated for the World Rugby Womens player of the year for 2016! One of the Black Ferns’ most experienced and consistent players with 36 caps to her name since her debut against Australia in 2002, Fiao’o Fa’amausili, a dynamic hooker who leads by example and inspires those around her. A physical force in the pack, the 36-year-old is a three-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winner who led New Zealand to a series win over Australia last month, scoring two tries in the opening 67-3 win at Eden Park. Samoan born, Fiao’o was first introduced to rugby in 1998 after playing a one off game during her last year at Aorere College in South Auckland. “Our school never had a rugby team, so I never had the chance to play.”  {{20467}} That one game was all it took to bring out her natural talent. Since then, she hasn’t looked back, with her can-do attitude and punishing training schedule, training six times a week, she achieved her goal of making the Black Ferns in 2002. Since then, she has represented New Zealand at the 2002 World Cup in Barcelona, Spain, the 2006 World Cup in Edmonton, Canada, and the 2010 World Cup in London, England and in 2015 was named as captain of the Black Ferns for the inaugural 2015 Women's Rugby Super Series held in Canada. {{20469}} She has previously played a stint of rugby in Newcastle, England, 2007-2008, which was something she had wanted to do before joining Police Fiao’o graduated from Police College in June 2010 and was posted to her home patch of South Auckland. She isn’t just slaying on the field, since joining the force she has been promoted to detective status with the Counties Manukau Police sector, the side of town where she formerly worked as a postie before joining the police force. “I always wanted to go back there, because I have always wanted to give back to the community I grew up in, and through my job as a police officer I feel I can achieve this.” To add to her achievements, in 2011 Fiao’o Faamausili, became the recipient of the New Zealand Police Association Police Sportsperson of the Year award.  “We have to lead by example and show the young ones that they can achieve their goals if they are prepared to put in the hard work. I think this is the best thing we can do for them.” {{20471}} To reinforce the message, Fiao’o speaks at school ceremonies and sports awards around South Auckland. She went back to Aorere College with fellow hooker All Black Keven Mealamu to present awards to high-achieving students in 2012. “It’s about pushing the young ones through, and being there for them, like other people were there for me when I was coming through,” she says. Fiao’o says her biggest influence on her rugby career was her Dad, he was my No.1 supporter. He passed away in 2001 and that made me push harder to become the rugby player I am today.  The World Rugby Awards awards kick off this Sunday 13 November in London. Fiao’o Faamausili is up against 2 other nominees, Gaelle Mignot from France and Sarah Hunter from England. Sources: World Rugby and NZ Police

Native Hawaiian surfer Carissa Moore capped off a stellar year winning her 5th World Surf League title in San Clemente, California. She became the first Hawaiian woman to win back to back world titles since 1981. {{26187}} She also becomes the first surfer to win Olympic and World Titles in the same year. This year she made four semifinal appearances in the regular season and won Gold at the inaugural competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Check out her battle against Brazil's Tatiana Weston-Webb in their final heat in the video below -  {{26185}}

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is the first time Surfing has been introduced as an Olympic Sport and it's only right that the only native Hawaiian surfer at the Games has won the Womens Gold medal. Ho'omaika'i to 28 year old Native Hawaiian Carissa Moore who won Gold at the first-ever women’s surfing event at the Olympics in Tokyo! {{24990}} The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported: “There was a dreamlike quality to the scene and Moore’s near-flawless surfing, which drew beauty out of chaos the way an artist does. The announcers spoke of how she and every competitor at Tsurigasaki Beach were living the dream expressed by the great Hawaiian waterman and Olympic gold-medal swimmer Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, of seeing surfing become an Olympic sport. One could imagine how he would feel to see a fellow surfer of Native Hawaiian ancestry win a gold medal in the inaugural Olympic heʻenalu event.” {{24992}} Carissa who chooses to compete under the State of Hawaii flag in World Surf League competitions, had to compete under the USA flag for the Olympics.  There were a group of Native Hawaiians who also requested of the IOC, the International Olympic Committee, for a Hawaiian national surfing team but the request wasn't heard. 

Dame Valerie Adams' candid & inspirational story of her global rise to the top of her sport will be released to the public when her feature length documentary 'Dame Valerie Adams:  More Than Gold' hits movie theatres around New Zealand. A five time Olympian and double Olympic gold medallist, Tongan/New Zealander Dame Valerie Adams is one of the world’s most celebrated athletes.  Her story is also the story of a mother, a daughter, a sister, and a survivor. Ahead of the release, she talks to us about her decision to open up about her personal life and journey as an athlete and mum, juggling motherhood & professional sport, island food faves and much more. -  Dame Valerie Adams:  More than Gold opens in theatres nationwide from Thursday 20th October.

Fijiana have gone from being attacked using stereotypes to being a real voice for women's rugby around the world through the sheer determination & years of fighting to play the sport they love!

Get to know Sereima Leweniqila, the captain of the Fijiana team, the only Pacific Island nation to qualify for the Womens Rugby World Cup. Fijiana takes on the world ranked #1 team England this Saturday 8th Of October.

Genah Fabian is a professional fighter of Māori and Samoan descent. She's a WMC Muay Thai world champion and a MMA athlete in the PFL (Professional Fighters League) and currently trains out of City Kickboxing Gym. Genah has been overseas for the last few elections so this election will be her first time voting.  She tells us why it's so important to be Fresh Off The Vote! . #Fresh Off The Vote #Election2020

Samoan Pro-wrestler Candy Lee shares her love of wrestling, dealing with discrimination and her goal to become the 1st ever WWE transgender wrestler! Credits:   Director & Editor - Mario Faumui 

The ladies from the Metro Lioness Women's Football team show us how it's done!!  Established back in the 80's, the Metro Lioness team is still going strong. Women's Football is a growing sport in New Zealand, check it out! 

“I won the fight, and I said to all my friends, ‘I’m never doing that again.’ It was terrifying. The anxiety before the fight, the uncertainty, the unknown, it was a totally different feeling to what I’ve experienced before. And then, I took another fight, took another fight.” World champion Muay Thai fighter and mixed martial artist Genah Fabian has been a competitive athlete since she was six years old. She talks to Lani and Ben about how injuries that halted her track career as a teenager not only led her to pursue fighting as a profession, but also taught her valuable lessons about mental toughness, running towards fear and how to persevere when she might once have given up.

Watch Genah Fabian in her PFL MMA 2021 Womens Lightweight fight (06 May) vs Laura Sanchez. Check out behind the scenes on Fight Night of her Pro Boxing debut here and hear from her boxing coaching team.

"If you're still a kid like me, a teenager like me, there's no need to like, think about doing sports professionally. Just enjoy what you're doing now." At 15 years old, Olivia Selemaia is smashing weightlifting records across the board. In this episode of Generation Next, she talks about growing up with a solo mum, her love for the sport and not taking life too seriously as a teen.

2022 was an enormous year for Auckland based referee Rochelle Tamarua. The Kuki Airani/Maori referee had the opportunity to go over and referee for the NRLW competition and then made history as one of two female officials in charge of a World Cup fixture at the Rugby League World Cup. She also refereed a number of the Womens games at the World Cup. This year she's been named to referee the Women's All Star game between the Maori & Indigenous Womens All Star teams. Outside of these fixtures she's also Auckland Rugby League's Referees Development Officer, fulfilling her role daily to promote, manage and ensure the referee system is thriving in Tāmaki Makaurau year-round. Get to know her in the video above - 

22 year old Lulu Tuilotolava just became the FIRST Tongan to have made the Black Sticks Hockey team (NZ's National Womens Hockey Team) after being called up in May for the Tri Series against Australia and Japan & now again as part of the World Cup Squad who will be playing in England this month!    {{9562}} The 18 strong squad features 17 of the players who won Gold at the Commonwealth Games in April ... and Lulu!  A spot became available in the team after midfielder Pippa Hayward retired. Lulu was just 5 years old when her Dad, William Tuilotolava decided he wanted his children to play hockey.  He had struck up a conversation with former Black Stick Caryn Paewai at the airport and then went home and told his wife he wanted his kids to get into hockey and since then Lulu and all of her siblings have played. {{9566}} She started playing at Southern Districts Hockey Club in South Auckland and there weren't many other Pacific Islanders playing the sport but she said that it's slowly changing.  "When I first played Premier Grade there was one other girl who was Samoan but it's been pretty cool to see the growth of it."  {{9569}} She said in the interview below with One News that she's proud to be the first Tongan selected in the team but hopes there's more to come. "It just shows that Tongan kids can come out and play hockey." {{9559}} She's currently studying Communications and would to be a Sports Journalist one day but she'll be taking a break from studies for now to join the Black Sticks who leave New Zealand on Sunday for Germany where they'll play in a warm-up tournament next week.  Their first game in the World Cup takes place against Belgium on the 23rd of July. Check out footage of her playing for Auckland against Northland where she scores the last goal. {{9560}}

GENAH 'FABIOSO' FABIAN  Samoan/German/Maori  Muay Thai, Kickboxer & MMA Fighter  .  I was born and raised in West Auckland as a kid and then we moved into central Auckland when I went to High School.  I went to Auckland Girls Grammar - AGGs (laughs) and when I was 19 I moved to Sydney, Australia and was back and forth to NZ - my family are all still here and are based Central so it's handy.   I'm Samoan, Maori, German - my Mums Samoan/German and my Dads Maori.  My Mums family are from the island of Upolu.  My grandmothers from Lufilufi, Lefaga and Saleimoa and my Dads Tainui which is Waikato. {{21529}} As a Junior I competed in Track & Field since I was 6 until about 19 and did really well as a Junior - competed all around the world and New Zealand, the Junior Olympics and yeah, that was my background and my base growing up.  The reason I stopped track was because I tore my hamstring really, really bad and you know I rehab'd and tried to come back the next season but I think mentally if anything, it threw me off.  Being young at the time I didn't quite know how to deal with it I think, that kind of setback and it was my first real injury so yeah, I stopped after a while. That was a really hard time in my life I remember, because I was like 'What do I do now?'  I've done this my whole life and I've been this high achiever in track and thought I had a future there and then I didn't you know, so I was a bit lost for a few years.   {{21531}} With fighting, I had no aspirations to ever be a fighter, I never even thought about it but it was just on a trip to Thailand I tried Muay Thai for the first time just for fun and fitness.  I immersed myself in it and gradually as time went on I fell in love with it and then started to pursue it as a career.  I thought 'Oh you know, I could be really good at this if I work really hard and keep going'. So I trained Muay Thai for a year straight but quite intensively, like it wasn't here and there - I was training every day again just for fitness and then my trainer at the time asked me on 3 days notice if I wanted to fight.  This was in Thailand so it's full rules - it's elbows, there's no shin guards or headgear or anything like that - so I said "You think I can do it?" and he's like "Yeah, sure why not!" you know the Thais they think everyone can fight (laughs) and I was like "You sure?" and he's like Yeah!  So I was like OK!  and yeah, thats how my first fight went down on 3 days notice! {{21533}} My next fight coming up is K1 (Kickboxing) at Bellator in Budapest, Hungary and then my next 3 fights will be MMA.   MMA is a totally different game in comparison to K1 and Muay Thai - they're totally different.  You've got that different element of takedowns and wrestling and then even the striking approach is different with MMA to a stand up Kickboxer - you've got to look for different things so I can't go in there like a Muay Thai fighter to MMA because that could count against me against someone who had stronger wrestling or wants to take you to the ground.   I used to get very worked up and very nervous which is normal as well, any fighter who says they don't get worked up or nervous is lying I think, cos you do no matter who you are.  I'm learning to channel my emotions and my adrenalin and things like that more and more each fight.   You know what?  This is the first time I've been back home for a fight camp and this is the most relaxed and easy I've felt, I'm usually quite stressed - I put a lot of pressure on myself but you know being around my Mum, my sisters and my family, the CKB crew, Euge and all those guys - they're cool!  I live overseas and I forget how chilled out and genuine and just easy going Kiwis are and I miss it.  It's been amazing so far. {{21535}} I get more hurt in training honestly than I have in my fights, if I'm gna get banged up or cut up bad then I'll deal with that at the time, hopefully not, but no - my fights are so much easier than the gruelling training that I have to go through day in, day out and yeah, I've gotten more injuries outside the fight. Over the years I've learned to be a lot tougher and stronger for sure - in the head more so than physically.  I know I'm tough physically you know, I've broken my collar bone, busted my nose, cut eyes and everything like that and fought & trained in Fight Camp with completely broken bits;  but you know thats part of fighting for everyone.  Mentally though, I've had to develop toughness and resilience.   At the moment I'm training 3 times a day, I'm doing my pad work and technical training, I do a bit of grappling as well afterward - it's just so that even though this particular fight is K1, it's to keep it up because my next fights will be MMA so nothing strenuous.  Then I have my Strength and Conditioning work with Coach Sunz in HPU at Les Mills, then it's back to City Kickboxing at night and we'll do more pad work, a lot more drilling, bag work or fight specific conditioning stuff.  So yeah, training 3 times a day. {{21540}} The hardest part for me is the eating and the nutrition, not because I'm not disciplined but because I didn't have the education on correct nutrition and stuff like that before.  Now I do, I'm getting to know my body inside and out for my job and I have to cut weight a lot for fights and things like that, it's just a part of the sport but yeah, it was tough!  Very tough at first and you know I'm 5'11, I'm a big girl, I carry a lot of muscle as well as mass and water and I'm Samoan (laughs) and so it's definitely something that I need to keep on top of and work hard at with my nutrition. At the moment because I'm in Fight Camp and losing weight for this fight I'm actually following a Ketogenic Diet  which is very high fat, moderate protein and little to no carbs.  It's working well and I'm getting great results from it.  It's been the easiest that I've been able to cut weight on this time round than other times thank God!  I've been through some really tough, tough weight cuts!  With Poly food - on this diet I'd be able to have Raw Fish and thats about it - my favourite is chop suey but yeah, I wouldn't be able to have that, but after the fight I will (laughs). {{21548}} With my fights and stuff I haven't really been able to explore when I go to other countries just because when I'm there I'm always usually cutting weight leading up to a fight, training and then I'll fight and I won't spend much time there after but hopefully in the future I'll be able to chill out after my fights and have some fun but so far I just go to fight and come back.   I have a lot of people I admire for different reasons.  I love Holly Holm, I think she's got a great style, she's strong, she's technical, moves very well and she's a South Paw.  My favourite and my first female fighter that I noticed and was wowed by was Miriam Nakamoto from America, she's a Muay Thai World Champion, very decorated fighter - she was technical but brutal and she can do everthing.  When I first saw her I was like Wow!  She's amazing! For other women getting into the fight game - be relentless, even when you do have family who love and care about you, you'll be on your own and thats OK, you'll be fine, you'll figure it out.  You'll get through it as long as you have that desire & need and want ..... desperation .... like I have (laughs)  But no really, anything you put your mind to - you can do it.  If I can do it, believe me so many people can!  I'm not special, you know?  I'm no different, I had the same upbringing as a lot of Polynesian & Maori girls here in New Zealand.  I didn't come from a rich family ....  I just always had a really relentless work ethic and belief and desire I think and it was that strong I've gotten to this point. {{20447}} Genah Fun Facts:  One of my favourite Michael Jackson songs is Billie Jean and I have an addictive personality so I named 2 of my dogs and my car Billie Jean.  I love a lot of Polynesian and kiwi artists and I listen to them a LOT when I'm overseas because it reminds me of home but yeah, Six60, J-Boog I love, Pieter T, Deach & all of the Smashproof boys there's a lot I'm probably forgetting but I love the kiwi Poly artists.   Genahs Tattoo:  The tattoo that I have on my side is a Protection Tattoo - protection for myself, protection for my family and to support what I wish, what I think and my safety.  It's a traditional Thai Sakyan tattoo.  I got it done a few years ago and it was done the traditional bamboo way and because it was on my ribs it freakin hurt!  I didn't realise (laughs) and it took hours because it's very detailed.  It doesn't look that big but it's because it's done with the bamboo so it's kind of like the Samoan traditional way but it's their form of doing it.   {{20443}} Genahs Aspirations:  I want to be the World Champion!  At the moment Bellator is one of the biggest promotions in the world so it's a huge accomplishment and opportunity to fight in Bellator so currently I want to work towards getting that belt there and stake my claim at Bellator and then see what happens in the future.  At the moment UFC don't have my weight division but they will at some point.  For now Bellator does and it's a major promotion so now I just gotta win my first fight!     Suggested Links:   Carlos Ulberg - Fighting for his Future   Mark Hunt 

ASHLEE FIDOW STUNTWOMAN SAMOAN / CHINESE / EUROPEAN  One of the only Pasifika stunt women in the world, Ashlee Fidow has been breaking ground on a huge raft of feature films from big Hollywood blockbusters to small local productions. Action sequences that you may have seen on ‘Mulan’, Teine Sa,’ Aquaman, and the upcoming Jason Momoa films ‘Chief of War’ and ‘Minecraft’, show the athletic Samoan’s talent for this high impact skilled work. Ashlee is a finalist in the Women in Flim and Television NZ Awards 2024, shares with us what this recognition means for her as a stunt performer “It’s hugely significant to be the first stuntwoman ever to be nominated for a WIFT award here in New Zealand. We are greatly under represented and go often unnoticed and it’s a fantastic opportunity to open up this space for more conversation and insight into what we do.” - I was born and raised in Auckland and grew up in Avondale. I’m Samoan, Chinese, English and German. My mum raised me on her own, it was a struggle from time to time as shes had rheumatoid arthritis for 30 yrs which is a joint disease that makes the easiest tasks very painful to do. Shes always had a never give up attitude and was determined to deal with the pain and work full time to look after me the best she could. Lucky we had a big extended family, I was always around my cousins who were like my siblings and my fondest memories were being brought up with them and my Nana. My nana was very traditional, she brought the discipline, made sure we kept our culture, made us sing in Samoan, yell at us in Samoan and say prayers before school etc but she passed when I was 11 and things haven’t been the same since, something I miss a lot in my life. {{12465}} What were the pathways that led you into doing stunt work? As a child I was drawn to watching action movies with martial arts/fighting in it. I’d go to the video store every weekend and hire out; all the Karate Kid films, Three little Ninjas, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, or anything with Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee in it. I found out quite young I was the black sheep of the family and a bit of a tomboy. My family were very sporty and played team sports such as, Touch, Netball, Rugby and Basketball. My Dad went to the Olympics in 1985 for Samoa and competed in hurdles and mum was quite the athlete before she got sick. So I guess I had the athletic gene, I just didn’t know it would lead me into something like this. I joined the local Karate club when I was 8, but the martial art I really fell in love with was Taekwondo. Which is a Korean martial art with predominantly kicking. I competed through out my teenage yrs fighting in national/international competitions and got my black belt when I was 17. From there I naturally gravitated towards combat sports like kickboxing, grappling arts and Filipino martial arts. I also have worked in the fitness industry for 10 yrs as a personal trainer and have a Bachelor of Sports and Recreation. I’ve always been a physical person and couldn’t picture it any other way. In 2009 a friend referred me onto auditions for a TV show where they needed new stunt girls. I got past a few auditions to get my first on set opportunity. And here I am 10 yrs later. {{12448}} Can you tell us about some of your favourite experiences working as a stunt woman as well as any accidents you've suffered? I’ve been lucky to avoid major injuries, each job is different.  I’ve had plenty of bruises and cuts from fight scenes, falls to the ground, wire work, smashing through glass per say. I’m not sure if you can call these favourite experiences but I’ll give you an insight to a few things I’ve done. Hanging off a building 12m high and falling onto cables, having to practice free diving to hold my breath while I get dragged underwater with a full costume of armour on, fighting with swords dressed as a soldier in 2m deep trenches covered in mud at night with a helmet on (I hardly could see anything!) falling or getting thrown off of horses, getting choke slammed with a halter dress on to the ground, getting thrown up in the air and into water by a wire with a bikini on, having to fight in heavy costumes with heavy weapons and uncomfortable wigs on, getting smashed onto and into different surfaces, the list goes on!  Stunt Performers are made up of martial artists, gymnasts, dancers, horse riders, ex army guys and extreme sports athletes. But having a high pain tolerance and handling being uncomfortable is an essential skill to have.  With that being said, stunts is a profession where you take calculated risks. Preserving your body by training properly, recovering adequately and wearing the right protective gear when needed is how you will last. It’s not just about being a daredevil. Its bringing skill sets to the table that will help with the creative side of stunts. Like making up fight choreography, assisting your actor if you are their stunt double by getting them comfortable with their action on screen or working with your stunt team to design action, rehearse it, test it and to make sure its safe to perform on set. The preparation definitely is my favourite thing, making something from scratch and seeing it come to life on screen is rewarding.  It’s not just about doing fancy moves for the camera, its understanding what a character has to embody and how you can physically tell a story by keeping within the parameters of the story line. {{12451}} What have been some of the biggest challenges or lessons you've learned throughout your career? Just like any artist you may not get what you worked hard for and getting used to set backs and rejection can be hard to deal with. It’s teaching yourself how to deal with it to come back stronger and reminding yourself why you are passionate and what keeps the flame burning for you to keep chasing what you want. Telling yourself that you are not the only one who faces these challenges and that it is a universal experience. {{12459}} How has being a Pacific Islander impacted your life and work? It is a unique position to be in and since I’ve been in this profession I haven’t come across another Samoan stunt woman?  Some times people don’t even recognise me as a pacific islander which has made me question my identity of where I belong a lot – the curses of being mixed. I have a diverse look and I usually get asked to double the ethnic actresses if they need a stunt double. I’ve been in the position of not being brown enough or white enough or Asian enough so I’ve had to break through stereo types a lot to prove that you can’t just pigeon hole someone into one thing. You can bring a whole lot more to the table being ethnically ambiguous. Now I see a shift in the industry and there are more Polynesians and ethnic performers getting cast for lead roles which is brilliant to see, and not just in NZ but worldwide. There are also more Polynesian creatives coming to the fore front to write, direct and produce their own films. It is so refreshing to see this uprising - hopefully it’s here to stay! {{12461}} What is the best piece of advice you've been given? Don’t take things too personally. Not everyone is going to like you no matter how hard you work or do your best. It is not a glamorous job and a lot of hard work and sacrifice goes into trying to get the next job or to be considered for an opportunity. Remaining humble in your pursuits with just the right amount of confidence is important no matter what you choose to do. Somewhere along the way the right people will want to give you a chance for who you are and what you represent, you just got to have faith and keep pushing. {{12463}} Who or what has inspired you in your stunt career? My mum Cynthia Rothrock (80s martial artist and action actress) Gina Carano (ex muay thai/MMA fighter turned actress) Michelle Waterson (UFC fighter and Karate black belt) Zoe Bell (NZ stunt woman who is killing it in Hollywood) Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais (if you know, you know.) Did I mention Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee? Haha. And any Mana Wahine who is fearless in her pursuits!  {{12454}} What else do you have coming up & are there any future goals you're looking to smash? There are a few things that are in post production that I can’t say. One of them is a blockbuster with a few martial arts legends that I grew up watching. Was very fortunate to do stunts on that. I'm considering acting a lot more as that's something we do anyway as stunt performers. I've taken an acting role with a lot of action on a local project so that is something in the works at the moment. In the mean time you can check out my work below in the links. IMDB Profile Ashlee's Stunt Highlight reel  {{12445}} Watch Ashlee channeling the Aitu spirit Telesā flying across the room in this award winning short film {{36417}}

Keep it Fresh with us at the IBF Womens World Heavyweight title fight, right here in New Zealand! It was a historic fight with it being the first fight between two New Zealand-born boxers and Maori vs Pasifika for a World boxing title. Young professional Heavyweight boxers Alrie Meleisea and Lani Daniels go head to head for the World Heavyweight crown! - Keepin It Fresh brings you all the freshness happening in our Moana communities, from Siva Afi Festivals to Pacific Cabarets.

Lakita Morris-Meredith at just 17 is the only female American Football referee in Aotearoa/New Zealand. In 2017 she also became the first female and youngest ref from Aotearoa/New Zealand to officiate at the IFAF Women's World Championship held in Canada.  Lakita grew-up with Gridiron all around her. Her dad, Paul Meredith, played in local team 'WildCats' and represented New Zealand in their national team, the SteelBlacks (previously IronBlacks).  Although Lakita tried some other sports like soccer, it was always gridiron which attracted her. But, being a girl she wasn't allowed to play even though she says with a laugh, she "could've smashed those boys". Lakita instead had to put-up with being a 'watergirl' at the games, while all the time asking questions about the rules. This led her into beginning as a ref at the age of 15. Now at the age of 17 she is in her third season and an inspiring islander as the only female gridiron referee in the country.

She plays Lock for the Wallaroos and NSW Warratahs, is a presenter on Stan Sports, co-hosts a radio show and juggles a full time job - Meet Sera Naiqama! We experience a day in her life as a high-performance athlete and she shares what it's been like for her growing up in Australia as a Fijian woman.

“IT’S NEVER TOO LATE” - SULU FITZPATRICK’S STORY Samoan Silver Ferns player Sulu Fitzpatrick is a star athlete, busy university student and proud Mama of twins - Theresa and Tavita. Sulu bravely shares her LIFE journey, from her struggles with mental health to giving up her new netball career due to unexpected pregnancy. Through hard-work, determination and faith, Sulu has been given a second chance at pursuing her professional netball career as well as her studies, and hopes to inspire and support Pasifika youth.

via RNZ Pacific's "Champions of the Pacific" Click here to listen to her interview on the Champions of the Pacific podcast. Cover image photo credit :  Photo: Â© Copyright Andrew Cornaga 2020 / www.photosport.nz / Photosport Ltd . A year ago, Katelyn Vaha'akolo had never played rugby league. Now she's a Kiwi Fern international and eyeing a trip to the World Cup in the United Kingdom. The 20-year-old of Māori and Tongan heritage, started playing the sport to spend more time with her friends, but it wasn't long before her short career picked up pace, catching the eye of representative selectors.  The young winger's campaign for the Akarana Falcons in the inaugural NZRL National Women's Premiership, which included a stunning 80-metre solo try against Mid Central, saw her called up to the New Zealand squad. {{23326}} In her first game for the Kiwi Ferns against Fetū Samoa at Mt Smart Stadium in November last year, Vaha'akolo threw the last pass for retiring legend Honey Hireme-Smiler's ninth-minute try and scored a try of her own in the opening minute of the second half.  It's a memory she still can't quite comprehend.   "I've always loved sport, it's always been an outlet for me, but I didn't really think that I was capable of getting to that level until I was offered the opportunity," she said.  "I just feel so privileged. I'm around so many women with so much knowledge and so much experience and I got to play next to Honey... it's not everyday you get to do that."  And if you thought the name Vaha'akolo sounded familiar, it might be because her older brother Freedom is also making a name for himself, signing with the Highlanders on a short term contract. "I'm so proud of him, he's so deserving. He's always encouraged me and challenged me to go hard for my goals and he's definitely someone I look up to when it comes to my sport. "I just love [that] not only do I get to succeed in this, but so do my family...I didn't really talk about [playing] until it came about but I know they're proud of me. They've encouraged me and supported me through every single phase of my life and my sport so I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them." {{23328}} Vaha'akolo's had a taste of international rugby league and now also played against the world's best women's rugby union players, flying the Tongan flag for Moana Pasifika in their debut appearance at the Takiwhitu Tūturu rugby sevens in Wellington on the weekend.  Now she's aiming to compete in the Women's Rugby League World Cup in November this year.  "It's been challenging because it's really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I wasn't used to playing rugby league or contact sport but I've enjoyed being able to be in a space where I can improve and I can go to a higher level than I thought I was capable of." "[The RLWC] that's my goal, but no matter the result I've taken away so much already. I just want to keep growing and I just want to keep achieving whatever I can to get there." While Vaha'akolo is achieving dreams on the field she's also kicking goals off it, advocating for mental health and the revitalisation of Te Reo Māori. {{23330}} Having struggled with mental health throughout her high school years, she's using her social media platforms, known for her health and lifestyle videos, to encourage youth to believe in themselves. "I'm not a counsellor, I'm not qualified in anything when it comes to mental health and that, but I just like to be an ear. I want to talk about things that young people feel they can resonate with so that they don't feel alone." "I guess my main goal is to provide a space, especially for Polynesian youth, where there's no expectations, where they're not going to be judged, and a space where they don't feel like they have to act a certain way in order to be accepted." Vaha'akolo believes there needs to be more services or spaces where young Pasifika women feel safe to talk. "I don't think there's enough spaces that cater to how we've been brought up. I can't speak on behalf of everyone, but I think there needs to be more, I think we need to do better as a community and as people to provide spaces for young woman where they do feel safe and where they do feel like they can talk about anything. " "We're getting there, slowly, but I guess that's definitely something that I want in the future for our young people." Everyday she's reminded of her journey with mental health and how far she's come, inked through the tā moko across her chest; a symbol of healing and growing. {{23332}} "It basically explains my journey with finding myself and learning to be vulnerable, learning to love myself and what that journey looks like. It's a symbolism of healing, growing and of learning to not letting my insecurities define me or define what I'm capable of." Vaha'akolo said learning Te Reo Māori has helped with the healing process while inspiring her to learn more about both her Māori and Tongan culture.  "I wanted to learn Māori because before that I didn't really know anything about my culture and I didn't really understand my whakapapa," she admitted.  "My culture ultimately forms my identity, I take it everywhere with me and it's everything that makes me who I am...I definitely carry more of my Māori side because I'm more knowledgeable of it now, but I definitely want to be fluent in Tongan one day that's definitely one of my goals." After spending a year in the full-immersion course at Te Wananga Takiura, she's now taking up a teaching degree to keep the language alive.  {{23324}} "I just want to help revitalize Te Reo Māori because I think it's really important, especially in Aotearoa, I think it's important for me to know where I come from, because that's who I am and that's a part of what makes me me. "Even with sport when I go out and play, I'm wearing Māori on me, I'm wearing my Tongan culture on me because that's who I am...being able to see things from a completely different perspective has been a real privilege for me and if I could, I would honestly just never speak English again." The proud Māori-Tongan wahine might be new to the sport, but she's motivated and encouraged to see Polynesian women leading the way in contact sports. "I've never been able to express myself in this way like how I can with sport. I can let out all of my feelings whether they're happy, whether they're angry, whether I'm upset, whether I'm in a really good space, this for me is my outlet." "I've seen so many Polynesian woman come through this this level of sport and it's been encouraging to me and it's made me feel a lot more comfortable. It's made me want to encourage other Polynesians to play or to just give something a go in whatever they want to achieve."

Coco Sports Talk catches up with Tongan/Maori rugby league player Katelyn Vaha'akolo. She shares how her NRLW experience was, the biggest lessons she took away from the Knights NRLW campaign, moving to Newcastle for the season and more. -  Watch the full episode of Coco Sports Talk below - {{28714}} -  Public Interest Journalism Funded by NZ on Air 

We're Keepin It Fresh at the Women's Rugby League Tournament in Otahuhu. Check out the highlights from the comp right here!!!

Tina the Tongan Tank (Tina Maota’tane) is a Black Fern based in Dunedin who likes to run it straight. The Outliers is a gritty, unapologetic look at youth from minority backgrounds in New Zealand.  From great adversity comes great strength, so the aim of The Outliers is to search out youth who are the standout, the anomaly or the outlier in their community and in New Zealand. The Outliers meets inspirational youth while also exploring the source of most minority success - the community where they come from! . Produced by Fire Fire for Māori Television | Made with the support of NZ On Air

Hawai’i is a place that is inextricably linked to and woven into surf culture. Historically, culturally, and within the sport itself, “surf” and “Hawai’i” are nearly synonymous terms, and there is an overwhelming sense of familiarity between the surf industry and the famed island chain…however, that familiarity tends to only scratch the surface of what surfing in Hawai’i is really all about—and all of the tradition, meaning, and stories that come with that. Host Mahina Florence comes from a legendary family of watermen and women - she takes us on this journey to learn a little bit more about one of surfing’s most iconic locations and some of the women behind it.  We'll start on the West Side with waterwoman Ha'a Keaulana and professional surfer Alessa Holloway (formerly Quizon). {{27565}} After that we'll make a stop at the famed beaches of the North Shore to meet up with Billabong WCT surfer Luana Silva and end at Waikīkī to learn more about surf school with Tammy Moniz. With identity closely linked to tradition, these women’s experiences and stories serve as powerful portrayals of the meaning that surfing can bring to one’s life, and how their relationship to surfing in Hawai’i specifically, has played big role in understanding who they are.

A young Polynesian woman (#13 in the video above) via way of Melbourne has helped her US college basketball team - Louisiana State University Womens Basketball - to win their first ever National basketball title in the March Madness final on the 2nd of April 2023. She was huge for LSU coming off the bench in their final game producing solid defence on Iowa's Caitlin Clark (who broke Sheryl Swoopes' record for most points in a NCAA Tournament all-time during the game), got Clark 2 fouls which benched her and then came up with a couple of big 3's!  {{32309}} Last-Tear Poa is of Cook Islands/Tahitian heritage and her given name pays homage to her great-grandmother on her Polynesian side. "I am named in her memory. It is a part of our culture" she said in an interview with The Advocate  Her grandparents Richard and Debbie share the story of her name in the video below. {{32310}} Poa started playing basketball when she was 10yrs old and after finding success in Australia decided to go to the US to see how she'd get on. Last year she played for Northwest Florida State College and led her team to a NJCAA championship during her freshman season. She then transferred to LSU for this season and earned a spot in the regular rotation of players. As of now, Last-Tear Poa could be the first Cook Islands/Tahitian woman to win a NCAA womens basketball championship. {{32314}} -  Public Interest Journalism funded by NZ on Air 

Cook Islands international Mackenzie Wiki has made history as the first daughter of a former NRL star to play for the same club after she signed with the Raiders. Her father, legendary NRL, Kiwi International & ARL Hall of Famer, Ruben Wiki, started off his impressive career with Canberra in 1993 playing a total of 224 games in the Raiders green. {{32411}} “It feels surreal. I’m truly grateful to be a part of this amazing club,” Wiki said to International Rugby League  “It’s an honour to follow my Dad at the same club. His first club was Raiders, now my first club is Raiders. It’s just surreal.” Towards the end of last year Mackenzie toured the Raiders facility with her father Ruben proudly wearing her Dad’s Raiders number #153, after recently returning from representing the Cook Islands at the Rugby League World Cup in the UK. Interview with her via the Canberra Raiders in the video  above  {{32409}}

This afternoon 21 year old Malia Paseka will make history as the Kingdom of Tonga's first female athlete to compete in Taekwondo. She will take on the United Kingdom's Lauren Williams. Here she talks about her journey to the Olympics, being announced as Tongas flag bearer, the beautiful traditional attire she wore for the Opening Ceremony and more. -  Plus for those wondering about the coconut oil used when Tongans dress up in trad wear - we have an explanation for you in the video below: {{24906}}

A powerhouse on the field in both rugby and rugby league, Mele Hufanga is aiming to tackle the health challenges of Pasifika head-on. The 26-year-old was running bootcamp-style challenges alongside her brother Patrick Hufanga, founder of Beastmode Fitness.  Over 110 people signed up for the recent six-week challenge, all of them Pacific Islanders.  "It's basically about bettering yourself in life...it's a challenge for people who come from different forms, shapes and sizes, just for us to push them to have a better life, a healthy life," she said. {{23156}} Diabetes struck Pasifika at twice the rate of the general population, with a quarter of Pacific people in New Zealand on track to becoming Type-2 diabetics by 2040.   Just over 63 percent of Pacific adults and around 29 percent of Pacific children in New Zealand were classified obese.  The Tonga women's rugby league international said watching their mother struggle with diabetes had been the inspiration to helping others live a more active and healthier lifestyle. "Being a PI, Pasifika person, it's not fun at all knowing that your own [family] member has diabetes, especially [when] your mum is diagnosed with diabetes type two," she said. "That motivates me and my family to get out there and do something like this. The last thing we want is for other people to go through what we're going through." {{23158}} Her brother Patrick hoped these challenges would create awareness of the epidemic Pasifika were facing while helping prevent obesity and diabetes rates from growing.  "Our Polynesian people are going through obesity, diabetes, you know you walk into any doctors around here in South Auckland, and it's packed full of our people and it's mainly because of that," he said.  "I saw that [struggle] through my mother. She went through diabetes and all that, so it was time for me to start changing people's lives but that's my hope of it and that's the main cause of this training stuff, that's why it's very important for me and Mele to do this." Mele said it was about doing what was right for the next generation.  {{23160}} "Those are the people that we want to help more and push them to not become diabetic and for the next generation as well. Most of these people in this challenge are married, some of them don't have kids, some of them do have kids but at least they know that they don't want their kids or their next generation to go through what they're going through." Participants were expected to attend at least three training sessions per week, with the Hufanga siblings holding sessions six nights a week at Māngere's Centre Park.  Mele said people had joined for different reasons, but there was one success story which kept her going.  "I had this one girl who told me her and her husband were trying to have kids, but she couldn't because she needed to lose weight. She was almost at the line of being diabetic. After 10 weeks, she was told she wasn't on the mark of being diabetic and she fell pregnant as well." {{23166}} "One thing that my mum has taught me in life, the saying in Tongan is: 'ae kataki ke lahi', and that means even though times get hard, times get tough you know just give it your all. These challenges motivate me knowing the fact that I've got nothing in my hands but if I give my all to people, give my time and commitment to them and if I believe in them, anything could happen. "...that's why it's important for me to do this. I'm not a professional. I'm not a personal trainer, I'm not a nutritionist, but I'm helping in a way I know I can." The captain of Auckland's Marist Rugby Club had been involved in a number of campaigns, but she said her time in the Tongan camp highlighted the importance of culture.  She believed the fitness challenges had been a success because they were driven by Pasifika values.  {{23162}} "Usually when I go to camps they talk about culture and values but that doesn't really get me, but when I went into that camp I walked out with something and it got me knowing culture and values is so important. "Faith is important, family is important, love is important and kindness. Kindness is everything because what you say to people, some of the words can be with them forever. One thing I know about us PI people is that we know how to share, we know how to care for each other, we know how to be kind, and I guess if we're all in this together then it is what it is, we're just helping each other out." Patrick said he was overwhelmed with how many people were giving their bootcamps a go.  "To be honest, I had to think about it twice getting her [Mele] to jump on board, but...she's a bit more famous than me out on the sports world out here." "She's a really good speaker, especially a good trainer and she brings the vibe to everybody and she pushes people to the limits. That's the main thing about Mele, she can push you to your limits with no excuses at all." {{23164}} He was also stoked to see the South Auckland community come together to work on their health and fitness as a team.  "Me and Mele didn't expect everyone to come back on the second week, so I guess we're building the culture around not just training but getting people to vibe together. People are coming from Māngere, from Manurewa, all over South Auckland, so everybody's vibing together and just making new friends." In 2015 Mele Hufanga scored a record 16 tries for the Auckland Storm as they went on to win the New Zealand women's provincial rugby title. But the former Black Ferns squad member said there was one record she wanted more than anything.  "I just want to see improvement from everyone. I'm looking forward to proving them wrong because I know a lot of them are doubting themselves, and I want to see them realise they did this, they ran, they did the workouts and they're putting their health first. "I know that we all come from different walks in life, but you know that little help that we have put into this challenge to help others be better, it means a lot to us to witness people that have never trained in their lives, to rock up and try something new, get out of their comfort zone and I think that's that's what motivates us to do what we do."  {{23168}} * Cover photo:  Former Black Fern, Mele Hufanga  Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

Robinhood Stars Centre/Wing Attack Mila Reuelu-Buchanan talks what it was like for her making the Silver Ferns squad, learning about her culture through sports plus shares some of what she does outside of netball including her hobbies. Mila's team the Robinhood Stars have had an amazing run leading up to their elimination final against the MG Mystics, winning 8 of their last 9 games which has also given them a home game advantage tonight. {{28642}} We wish Mila and the Robinhood Stars all the best in their ANZ Premiership finals run. - Watch the full episode of Coco Sports Talk below -  {{28643}} Public Interest Journalism made with the help of NZ on Air 

Mississippi State University Softball team recently ran a series of short profile videos on the Samoan sistas in their team.  Represent!  {{12336}} Meet Chloe Malau'ulu from Longbeach, Sarai Niu from San Diego & Fa Leilua from Hawthorne, California and get to know them in the videos below.  They talk aiga, ink and more ...  {{12340}} {{12341}} {{12342}}

22 year old native Hawaiian surfer Moana Jones Wong made history over the weekend when she won the Billabong Pro Pipeline on the North Shore in Haleiwa, Hawaii. Not only was it the first ever full-length women's CT event at Pipe but Moana was a wildcard and in the final she beat 5 time world champion Carissa Moore. She then took over as number one in the World Surf League Championship Tour rankings. “Carissa is my favorite surfer,” she gushed. “She’s my hero, I can’t believe this. It’s insane. I always wanted to have a Final at Pipe with Carissa.” {{27613}} Asked how she knew how to pick the ride-able gems and make it through three barrels in Sunday’s large, disorganized surf — with the wave faces churned by rip currents and two different swells — she credited the late Derek Ho, Hawaii’s first world pro surfing champion, who mentored her in the storied, lethal break. “I would be out at Pipeline with Uncle Derek every day when it was bad and when it was good, and sometimes when it was bad we were the only two people,” she said. “He said to get good at Pipe you have to surf it in all conditions, including the wrong swell direction, too windy, too big,” Wong said, “So out there today, I knew exactly how it was going to be.” {{27617}} She also made history last year in another epic distinction becoming the first to receive a University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu's Hawaiian and Indigenous Health and Healing degree. As part of her graduation requirement, Jones Wong recently presented her senior project titled, “Surfing: More Than a Sport.” Surfing, she shared, healed her of many things. {{27615}} “I feel so connected to my culture, my ancestors, and the ocean when I am out there. Surfing gave me my identity. It empowered me. In my hardest times I found peace in the ocean.” Jones Wong’s senior project was about how surfing empowers Native Hawaiians to connect to their culture. It was a topic she was happy to write about and present, she said, because many people don’t talk about it and don’t realize how significant surfing is to Native Hawaiians. Check out the first episode of her her new Vlog  {{27611}}

Niue Womens rugby league put together a representative side for the first time in nearly two decades when they took on Tonga in the Clash of the Pacific test match. Young Maori/Niuean Alio Pihama Maipi Hill takes us on her journey as she joins team Niue for the first time.

Cook Islands/NZ Maori Kickboxer Bernie King is 'On the Rise' and based in Rarotonga where the local Muay Thai & Kickboxing scene is on the come up! . .  Filmed & edited on location in Rarotonga by Johnny Beasley 

Meet Harata, Sharelle and the rest of the wahine toa of the mighty Te Atatu Roosters Women's Rugby League Team!!! Find out why these ladies love their league and watch them in action on game day as they battle against the Pukekohe Pythons! . . CREDITS:  Director - Piata Gardiner-Hoskins  Camera/Drone - Hayden Aull  Sound - Kris Thompson