By Amellia Wood
If you had asked Salote Sisifa ten years ago where she'd see herself today, there is no way her answer would have been anywhere near sport.
One of eight siblings from Tonga's central business district, Sisifa grew up with strong family values and curiosity of people.
These qualities directed her to the career she would spend the best part of a decade and a half in, before an unexpected role shift would set a new course.
“I kind of ended up where I am by accident, the best accident to have been in,” Sisifa said.
“My background is in media but in 2013 I spent a few months off from radio and television as Tonga Netball Association needed someone in place.
“I was supposed to just spend some time while they found the right people to be in place, but within a year I was offered the job and became CEO. So here I am, a journalist by profession now the CEO of Tonga Netball.”
Growing up in Tonga there were only two sports offered in schools for Sisifa and her friends– netball for the girls, rugby for the boys.
“I started playing netball when I was nine for Tonga Side School, the only English-speaking primary school at the time.
“During my high school days, I continued to excel in the sport and in my senior year my team took out first place, which was very common for our school.
“This performance was the result of having teachers at the school who were former national players and passionate netball supporters who coached our teams.”
Despite a childhood filled with netball, it wasn't until Sisifa took her first steps into Tonga Netball that her true passion, respect and love for the sport was bred - majority of these feelings stemming from her immersion in the community.
As one of the most vibrant sports in Tonga, over a thousand consistent participants from ages six to 60 compete in tournaments and competitions throughout the year on both the main island and outer islands. Additionally, more than 1,500 officials and supporters actively engage with Tonga Netball's annual events.
“I was quite lucky as a child to live in the central business district of Tonga which meant we could sleep and wake up at 7.30am to prepare for netball or school and get there on time,” Sisifa explained.
“Going out to the rural areas and outer islands is always eye opening for me, for many young netballers living out East or West, their days start as early as 4am to travel into town for education.
“We must always remind ourselves that the decisions we make on the main island in the capital must always be looked at from the different geographical views of our audience. Life is hard, the further you live from the capital, the harder life is for some.”
As a working mother of four and wife to a national Solicitor General, Sisifa said her leadership style has been built on her belief that to do well, family life must be stable.
“My staff and I are a tight nit little netball family and are open to discussion of ideas,” she said.
“I tell my staff and those I work with, come from home one hundred percent ready to work. If you wake up with a sick child, having issues with your husband or partner, please sort that out so when you come to work, you’re ready to work.”
Despite being in the office and meetings most of the time as CEO, Sisifa thrives most away from her desk.
“My favourite part is that you can contribute to making positive changes,” she said.
“I’m a very hands-on leader and like to join the technical staff when they roll out our programs to the communities, especially when visiting the outer islands as I get to see the growth of netball and how they operate in comparison with what means they have in the islands.
“Because of the good work of the staff, officials, players and supporters, our sport is recognized and respected from all levels, which has given me the opportunity to sit in executive roles of Government Enterprises being a Former Director of the Information, Communications and Technology Board from 2018-2019.”
Reflecting on her time as CEO, Sisifa admitted that the transition wasn't complete smooth sailing.
“To be honest, where I am today didn’t come as a bed of roses, I was kind of house sitting the post while they were finding the right people to be in place.”
While Tonga Netball underwent legal actions pertaining to former affiliations, Sisifa was at the forefront of it all. After questions surrounding who the official national body of netball in Tonga was raised, Sisifa fought for her association to be identified as the clear choice.
“Long story short, we fought the hard yards, provided supporting documents and the requirements needed from the courts and authority bodies to confirm that Tonga Netball Association is the official body of Netball in Tonga.
“Anyone and any organisation that has had to go through a court case would know the toll this takes but coming out with good results in our favour was worth the fight.”
Additionally, to the internal challenges of netball, Sisifa has experienced the reality of what female administration in Tonga entails and the mountains that must be moved for its improvement.
“It is very simple for women in Tonga to pursue administration work in sports, it’s just not common.
“Rugby is the loved sport in Tonga, so it’s been hard trying to persuade our government that netball deserves the same funding they’re giving rugby.
“I had to understand, Rugby has been in Tonga for 100 years this year, and they’ve earned the respect of the country over the years – with that in mind we had to work and prove netball was worthy.
“It has been challenging but the government have been very helpful lately supporting us, and I believe netball has gained the respect it has worked hard to achieve."
With a newfound sense of respect across the country sees new opportunities for the growth of female participation at the administrative and organisational level.
This year, Tonga Netball, along with surrounding Pacific countries including Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, became a part of the Pacific Women’s Sports Administration Program, which aims to create avenues in the Pacific for women’s leadership in netball and enable associations to advance women in decision-making roles.
The program will work to promote gender equality, leadership and economic opportunities and livelihoods for women across the region. In providing more resources and training to partner countries, it is a goal to reduce barriers to female participation and increase the safety to participate.
In Sisifa's words, the program ultimately means hope for more women like herself to advance.
“We will use the opportunity to review where we are at and aim for where we want to be in years to come,
“We want netball to be the best governed and administered sport in Tonga. We hope for netball to climb to the national ranks over the next decade. We hope for growth in participation numbers. We hope for better administration.
“This program will definitely help because it’s evident from all other sports and issues in our country that the flaw isn’t in the players, but from administration and those in governance of the sport.”
In past years, Tonga Netball has still achieved many monumental milestones despite their small staff ratio. Carparks repurposed as netball courts have been upgraded, higher participation rates across the board, and their 2019 Pacific Games team bringing home a silver medal are just a few.
It's Sisifa's involvement in these successes that makes it clear in her mind that the next decade for netball in Tonga will be the best one yet.
“My grandfather in raising me often said ‘tauhi ho fatongia pea ‘e tauhi koe ho fatongia’,” Sisifa reminisced.
Translated, the phrase means whatever task you’re given, take care of your job and your job will take care of you.
“I’ve carried these wise words over the years. Those that have worked with me in anything know that in whatever I’m part of I give it 100 percent and will go the extra mile to live up to the expectations to fulfil targets because that’s the kind of worker I am.
“I like the fact that young girls can relate to my story, just your average Tongan girl born and raised in Tonga becoming a CEO of Netball. It’s possible, anything is, just with will, hard work and prayers, anything can be accomplished.”
