Three matches were played against the Tonga U-17 women’s team, a Centre of Excellence squad and Tonga’s “Coerver” girls, who travelled to New Zealand in April to attend a Coerver Performance Academy camp.
Tonga Football Association head of women’s football Adelaide Tu’ivailala helped organise the week-long visit in conjunction with Coerver Coaching NZ Technical Director Phillip Parker.
“We’re so fortunate to be the first country in the Pacific to start this exchange with Coerver Coaching NZ,” Tu’ivailala says.
The Coerver girls completed a clean-sweep of the three matches, however for both parties it was an eye-opening and beneficial experience.
While Tonga have a better idea of how women’s football is developing in New Zealand, thanks to Coerver’s humanitarian project, Healing Hands across the Pacific, the New Zealanders also have an increased understanding of life in Tonga.
For the project the girls filled shoeboxes with equipment like pens, pencils and exercise books which they presented to two schools in need.
Tu’ivailala says the project opens up a world outside of football for their visitors, as well as those who met them and were on the receiving end of their generosity.
“Their humanitarian project wasn’t just for football playing kids, but for the schools. The principal in the first school they visited, Tonga Side School, extended her heartfelt appreciation for her school being selected to benefit.
“The girls from Coerver enjoyed the hospitality of the school, while the students were so impressed they followed them around to show their appreciation,” Tu’ivailala says.
“I went as moral support and for me, knowing these girls come from well-off backgrounds, that they were willing to give away something of theirs was really touching to us.”
Tu’ivailala and Parker first met in February during the OFC U-20 Women’s Championship in Mangere and seeing the progress of women’s football in Tonga following that event, combined with his Tongan ancestry were Parker’s inspiration for this project.
“During our meeting after the U-20 qualifying, Philip brought up the idea of an exchange and it was something exciting and new that we were really keen to get involved in,” Tu’ivailala says.
The first stage of the exchange saw a group of 11 players, TGA technical director Kilifi Uele and Tu’ivailala invited to Auckland, New Zealand to attend a week-long Coerver Performance Academy camp run by Parker.
“These exchanges are part of a three phase Pacific Development Strategy. The visit by the TFA group in April was phase one, the visit by the Coerver U-17 group to Tonga is phase two and phase three will see a TFA men’s U-13 and U-15 tour in September,” Parker outlines.
“Coerver Coaching is about youth development and also about coach education so we thought it really important to share our knowledge and hope in the exchange, that we would get some back,” he explained back in April.
“Secondly, I’m part Tongan and over the years I’ve done a lot of indigenous development in New Zealand, and not that things are stable on that front, I feel it’s time for me to start giving back to the islands, and firstly through Tonga.”
For Tu’ivailala, Tonga football is already reaping the benefits of the relationship with Coerver New Zealand as they experience a different style of football and start developing a competitive edge.
“I’m sure all the Tongan girls who participated will improve after each game and will certainly benefit from what they learnt from the visiting Coerver girls.”
Tu’ivalala also took the opportunity to further thank the chairman of Tonga Power Limited for their generous donation which allowed the exchange to get underway.
“I knew when we went to the Coerver Performance Academy camp in Auckland, which Tonga Power Limited helped fund, this exchange tour would definitely happen.
“I have to extend a huge thank you also to Phillip Parker, for his efforts and hard work in making it happen. I know your Tongan blood gives you the strength to do a good job and I can say our young girls are incredibly lucky to the recipients.”
The Coerver women’s U-17 group were in Tonga from 5-12 July. The next phase of the exchange is expected to take place in September.
For a recap of the Tonga Football Association exchange to New Zealand in April click here

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