Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
Fifteen-year-old Taafili Taoso is one of a few Islander and Indigenous players in Waterpolo Australia.
The Brisbane State High School student, who is of Samoan and Indigenous descent delivered a stellar performance on the first day of the Waterpolo Australia U20 Summer Slam earlier this year.
Her dominance in the earlier U18 tournament landed her a promotion into the Barbarians team where she helped direct the Youth Barbarians Green Women’s side to a win and a draw at the Valley Pool.
Taafili has been in the sport since 2019 when her friend, Lulu Elliott, encouraged her to join the Mermaids Club. She’s gone on to win silver and gold medals for both state and national competitions.
“My first year was a bit rocky but after understanding the sport, I felt more comfortable. But I had no idea at the start. It was a bit confusing,” she told the Townsville Bulletin.
Her dedication to the sport inspired her three younger brothers to follow suit.
“At the start they followed me to try a different sport.” she says.
“I like how we have grown together in the sport.”
With a low representation of Islander and Indigenous waterpolo players, Taafili told The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS) she hopes to encourage Indigenous youths to “learn to swim and to keep fit and healthy.”
“I would love to get more kids involved in this amazing sport. I also want to be able to give back to the community and give free sessions in waterpolo,” she says.
“Generally, I am a very positive person. I want to be able to help kids like me get into sport and not be afraid to fail”.
Taafili was recently named as one of the 2021 ‘Young, Black and Proud’ scholarship winners. She plans to use her scholarship funds to help pay for upcoming national and state competitions to inspire other kids to take up the sport.
