Shalom Fiso

The 18-year-old has been guiding Samoa through their challenging campaign at the OFC U-19 Women’s Championship in Auckland, New Zealand, and although their opponents have provided some difficult assignments, Fiso has been enjoying every minute.

“This is a huge opportunity for me,” she said.

“I’m representing our country and I know that there are heaps of girls back home in Samoa that really wanted this opportunity.

A member of the bronze-medal winning Samoa side at the 2015 OFC U-20 Women’s Championship in Tonga, Fiso says she is using that experience to guide her U-17 team in Rarotonga.

“I really like being captain, this is my first time captaining a side at this level, but I enjoy helping the girls by guiding them on and off the field,” Fiso says.

“I am still learning and I think I can improve the way we prepare for games.

“If we can warm up better and work better the day before games it will help us to do well.”