Upaupa beats odds

By HENRY MORABANG
PAPUA New Guinea Under-20 women’s soccer hopeful Olivia Upaupa is the odd one out in her family.
Originally from Lungalunga village, North Coast road, East New Britain, and Keram in Angoram, East Sepik, the 19-year-old footballer tries to beat the odds thrown at her.
The Upaupas are synonymous with softball in Madang.
Siblings David and Kelly have borne the family name playing softball for Papua New Guinea.
Surprisingly, Olivia did not follow the family tradition of softball but rather peer influence got the better of her and she laced on soccer boots instead.
She was in Grade 5 when she signed up to play with Tusbab Blue Kumuls youth team in the Madang Soccer Association.
Olivia’s dad Willie told The National that he still could not believe his daughter could make it to the world stage — let alone a Federation of the International Football Associations women’s World Cup.
“I cannot come to terms with it because none of my family members play football,” the proud father said.
He boasted about siblings David and Kelly, household names in Madang who represented the country in softball.
Olivia is the first born in family of two.
Training and studying fulltime are concepts new to Olivia.
Her father Willie recalled that Olivia had called him twice, saying that she wanted to quit training and return to Madang but he encouraged her to see the camp through.
“I had to encourage her that in training, a lot of criticism will come but you have to be strong and face it,” Upaupa said.
“With less than three weeks before the World Cup, I am proud to say she about is to be there for my family, village and the country,” the elated father told The National yesterday.
Now 19-year-old Olivia, in Grade 11 at Goroka Grammar School while training fulltime at the National Sports Institute, is set on earning her spot in the PNG U20 women’s roster.
With no other family member playing football, she wants to become the first athlete from Lungalunga and Keram to break onto the world stage.
Olivia said she admired PNG senior women’s captain Deslyn Siniu and thanked her for the encouragement to pursue excellence on the field of play, whichhas made her determined to continue training with renewed zest. She plans to return home to either Madang or to her home village, Lungalunga, to help teach the young children to play football.
“I want to continue playing and maintain my ambition to hopefully play at the senior level in the next Pacific Games or women’s World Cup.”