Bam Bam is a big hit

Tu Tangata, Issue 30, 1 July 1986, Page 40

Bam Bam is a big hit

na Michael Romanos

whether shooting for goal or slamming a home run

THERE is little rest these days for current New Zealand double sports representative Rita Fatialofa but that’s the way she prefers it.

Straight after the hurly-burly of the 1986 world series softball championships, this 22-year-old super sportswoman went into training for the New Zealand netball team and continued playing major-A intercity Welling-ton-Hutt Valley softball.

This amazing New Zealand-born woman of Samoan parentage was the star batter at the world softball champs where New Zealand lost their world crown but still finished a most creditable third amongst the world’s best teams.

Fatialofa is a certainty to retain her place in the New Zealand netball team which takes on the world champions Australia and Jamaica this year in a back-to-back series both here and in Australia.

Fatialofa was the undisputed star at the 1986 women’s world softball champs in Mangere last January. In front of the home crowd, she got by far the biggest cheer when the pre-game introductions were made. When Rita appeared out of the dug-out and headed for the batter’s box, the crowd positively buzzed with excitement.

It got to a stage during the 10-day champs when the ground announcer called Rita by her nickname: Bam Bam.

Bam Bam comes from cartoon character Barney Rubble’s super-strong son. And if she is not quite super-strong, Rita can sure punish a softball like no other woman. Bam Bam exacted a fearsome toll on the pitchers at the world champs to finish the biggest hitter and second in the batting averages with .381 (16 hits from 44 turns) behind Puerto Rico’s Clara Vezquez. Bam Barn’s figures would have been even better had she not been deliberately walked several times.

But Fatialofa doesn’t get carried away. Her ability to stay cool and block out everything but the task in hand is a mark of a true sports champion. People have termed Rita a superstar but the Samoan maiden doesn’t see it that way.

“I don’t consider myself a superstar -1 just play sport because I enjoy it. That is not to say I wouldn’t relish doing it fulltime but that’s a little bit impossible in New Zealand netball or softball,” said Fatialofa.

“People do put me on a pedestal and when they find I’m really a quiet, down to earth woman whom they can relate to, they can get a little bemused.”

Auckland born and bred, Fatialofa shifted to Wellington three years ago to

take up a college teaching position as a 19-year-old. She spent two years teaching physical education at Porirua College and this year she took up a similar teaching post at Wellington High School. She became both a senior Auckland rep at netball and softball in 1980. In netball she first represented the New Zea-

land senior team in 1982 and has been a permanent member ever since, including the world champs in Singapore in 1983. Her New Zealand team softball career began in 1982 with a gap until last season. Rita missed out the other softball years in the national side because of the clash with netball tours and training.

With her easy-going attitude, her versatility and her quick-thinking, Fatialofa is a natural. A coach’s dream.

Last year when the New Zealand netball team toured Britain, Fatialofa was one of the star players. Against Northern Ireland which New Zealand won 62-10, she succeeded with 22 of her 30 shots at goal as a goal attack and delighted the crowd with her snappy intercepts.

Fatialofa and Margharet Matenga (see Tu Tangata issue Feb-March 1986) were the key to Wellington retaining the New Zealand provincial netball title last season.

Twice during the champs, Fatialofa turned around games in which Wellington were struggling. During the champs she played wing attack, goal attack and goal shoot. Against Canterbury, Fatialofa netted 26 goals from 32 attempts as she and Matenga ravaged their strong opposition with powerful and relentless team-work.

Bam Bam has also played for New Zealand at centre. In fact she captained the New Zealand under 21 team in 1984 from this position. Her adatability is unquestioned. New Zealand netball coach, Lois Muir says Rita is very relaxed.

“She’ll play anywhere and never let you down,” said Muir.

Wellington netball coach Dale O’Neill said Fatialofa’s shooting talent makes a big difference to Wellington.

“People sometimes forget what a greart shooter Rita is. Having Rita and Margbie. Matenga gives us a really strong pair of shooters and that is one of our biggest assets,” said O’Neill.

As a goal attack perhaps her most valued position - Fatialofa is an uncompromising player, equally reliable under ’ the circle, a strong rebounder and a speedy reader of play.

Fatialofa started playing softball and netball seriously at Westley Intermediate which were the two dominant sports at that Auckland school. “I learnt most of my basic skills there we had organised separate male and female games every lunch hour.” Fatialofa also played soccer, tennis, athletics, volleyball and basketball at senior school level, representing Lynfield College in Auckland at all of them. But softball and netball were her main sports.

“I’m a person who takes things as they come. For example last October I wasn’t playing softball because I felt I needed a break from sport after three netball tours in 1985. But then I got back the itch to play softball because I had missed the season before. So I returned to the Broadway team and was fortunate enough to go up the levels again from there. It’s not easy to get back into the New Zealand team with lack of playing top level softball. But I was lucky to be playing well. It must have been my natural ability at work.”

Fatialofa played in the 1982 world series in Taiwan where New Zealand won its first unshared world softball title, male or female. “It was disappointing losing the world title this year especially in getting beaten by such a large margin by China, but those are the breaks of the game. We still came third and there’s no shame in that. “I have had lots of personal disappointments in sport. I’ve made all the teams, but from game to game especially

at club and provincial levels, there are always matches one would like to win. “My two biggest highlights were winning the world softball series in 1982 and beating the world champs netball team, Australia in 1985 during the world games in England. Making both the New Zealand netball and softball teams in 1982 was certainly a thrill. “I’d like to keep on playing both sports at international level until I stop performing. I know that any marriage plans wouldn’t upset my sporting ambitions.”

Rita shifted to the Capital in 1983 to take up a teaching post and also change her sporting environment.

“It’s been a good move. The atmosphere in the Capital is more relaxed and more communal people here mix more freely in a sporting sense. But I consider seriously each year the move back to Auckland which is my hometown and my family and most of my close friends are there.”

Rita’s parents Fereti and Tui Fatialofa were born in Western Samoa and came here about 25 years ago with three of their seven children. Mr Fatialofa died in 1969 and Mrs Fatialofa is a minister of the Pacific Island Congregational Church which is an organ of the Presbyterian Church.

Mrs Fatialofa is presently a part-time chaplain at Greenlane Hospital and for the rest of the time she is based at the Pacific island Church in Newton.

Rita said the attitudes she has towards life and sport have come from her religious background and the influence of her mother in particular.

“It serves me well. It is very easy for young sportspeople to be swayed by the media. But I don’t believe all of what journalists say of me. I’m a realist.”

“I feel more relaxed and all Polynesians have a natural if sometimes, undisciplined flair for netball. PIC draws support because we play a very open and fast game.”

Rita briefly visited Samoa in 1985 and says she would like to spend 12 months in Samoa and perhaps teach at one of the colleges.

“Samoa comes before New Zealand with me. I feel very Samoan. It’s quite sad how the Maori people have lost their identity. I can’t speak Samoan fluently but I can understand it. I certainly want to start speaking fluently.

“I’m living proof a Samoan person can succeed in New Zealand. The opportunities are there but there has to be some strong basis of education and a stable family life. I’d like to encourage and inspire young Samoan girls to not be so self-conscious about competitiveness but to come out and participate fully in sports.

“There are relatively very few Samoan women who play sport competitively and yet they have plenty of natural ability to succeed. It seems once they’re exposed on a court or field, they freeze up. It is a cultural thing. It’s unfortunate that there is still this male dominance in most aspects of Samoan culture.

And who has been an inspiration to this sturdily-built, sft Bin double New Zealand rep?

“Bryan Williams, the All Black was an inspiration and idol to me as a teenager. Bryan was of Samoan descent and he achieved much on the sporting field and academically. He was highly regarded by everyone.”