Challenges won’t stop Wani from her passion

By PARKER TAMBUA
RITA Wani says developing talents in Port Moresby is what motivates her despite the Border Storm rugby league club owner facing challenges, including criticism.
The 49-year-old, from Hela, is married to Tony Wani from Pangia, Southern Highlands. The couple resides at Port Moresby’s Wildlife settlement.
They have been running the club for over a decade that has seen them participate in numerous offseason competitions such as the Coca-Cola Ipatas Cup and National Capital District Governor’s Cup.
Rita told The National last week that she and her husband were faced with financial burdens at times, but they had so much passion for the game, particularly in recruiting and marketing unknown players.
“It’s not easy, we have faced hard times,” she said.
“But sometimes we spend our own money just to help the team participate consistently in all offseason competitions.

“  It’s not about what people think but it’s about finding our purpose in life and helping others – in this, case it’s through rugby league.”

“We have the heart for young rugby league players from the settlements who play in suburban leagues.
“It makes us feel satisfied when we recruit them for offseason competition and a Digicel Cup franchise identifies them.
“Some of them even make it all the way to the SP Hunters from the Digicel Cup and it’s just overwhelming, knowing we’ve contributed something towards their careers.”
Rita said she was proud that a good number of the Border Storm players had been recruited by Digicel Cup teams which was encouraging and meant that they were doing something right.
She said Hunters duo Jeffery Robert and Judah Rimbu were the Storm’s latest stars.
Rita said the duo were playing for the Border Storm in the NCD Governor’s Cup in January last year when Digicel Cup champions Hela Wigmen identified them.
They later made it into the Hunters after their title-winning campaign.
Rita said being a mother with her involvement with rugby league, she sometimes faced criticism from other women in her community.
“Mothers in my community sometimes gossip about me,” she said.
“They ask ‘why is she wasting her time and resources on these youths? What good will she get out of it? What’s rugby league to her?’
“But I always brush those negative comments aside.
“What they don’t understand is that my husband and I are doing something that makes us happy.
“It’s not about what people think but it’s about finding our purpose in life and helping others and in this case it’s through rugby league.
“Supporting rugby league is just like a gospel mission.
“I’m only trying to help and expose unknown talents, so that they develop into professional players.”