Today we feature a player with a reputation for courage on and off the field – Tonga’s U-20 women’s team captain Sala Veamatahau.
Sala Veamatahau
The captain of Tonga’s U-20 women’s national side, Sala Veamatahau, has earned a reputation for being a tough competitor on the football field and a resilient spirit in the face of extreme adversity off the field.
Veamatahau has been pursuing her ambition of playing professional football overseas since her secondary school days. She used to skip school to play football with the boys and proved to be a natural at picking up the fundamental skills of her chosen sport.
It was her late father who encouraged her to continue her passion for football.
Veamatahau was first selected in the national U-20 women’s training squad in 2005 in preparation for the OFC U-20 Women’s Championship Samoa 2006. Although she was a strong performer in a Tongan team that finished second, it was the lowest point of her life as she lost both her father and brother in tragic circumstances that same year.
Those losses gave Veamatahau a totally different prospective on life and the determination to make a difference in everything that she does and, most of all, not to take life for granted. Since then, there has been no turning back for this talented centre midfielder whose motto in life is “dare to go beyond.”
Veamatahau’s selection as the captain this year comes as no surprise to her teammates. Women’s football development in Tonga is flourishing, thanks to the commitment of young talented players such as Veamatahau.
Bio
Occupation: Athlete
Full Name: Sala Veamatahau
Nick Name: The Dare Devil Football
Date of Birth: September 16 1990, (age: 19)
Place of Birth: Tongatapu
Height: 1.65m
Playing Position: Central midfielder
Current Club: Nuku’alofa Eleven
Playing Years: 5 years
Favourite Football Star: David Beckham
National Team
2007 – South Pacific Games
2007 – OFC Senior Women’s Qualifiers
2006 – OFC U-20 World Cup Qualifiers
Special Award:
2006 & 2007 – TFA Scholarship
Courtesy of TFA Media