NETBALL UMPIRE RABITU
TARGETS YOUTH WORLD CUP
“For 2021, I want to get back to umpiring and hope to be selected for the World Youth Netball Championship. That is one of my main targets. And for my coaching I will move up a level I have finished the foundation and LevelUp coaching courses with NetGo. And things do not come easy, you have to work towards it to achieve your goals.”
While many young girls look forward to donning the Fijian Pearls dress, Raijieli Rabitu and her older sister Litia, opted to be umpires.
And her long term plan is to umpire at the Netball Youth World Cup set for December at the Vodafone Arena in Suva.
The 27-year old hails from Naila, Bau, Tailevu shares maternal link to Nabudrau, Noco, Rewa.
And her umpiring career has spanned for more than a decade. Started off as young 13-year-old umpire back in 2006 was something Rabitu never regretted.
Not only she enjoyed umpiring, Rabitu took the extra step to be a netball coach.
She is the coach for the Alumni Netball Club in the Suva Netball Association and was also one of the four coaches for the Netball Fiji Super League Series last year.
She is the development officer of the NetGo programme, under the Pacific Sporting Partnership (PSP). It was through her late aunt and former umpire/national rep Alini Rabitu Sovu who pushed her to be an umpire.
“It seemed boring at first, but then it became interesting because we get to be paid at the end of every game,”she said.
“I’ve the Fiji and Oceania badges and the New Zealand C qualification.
Rabitu has also officiated in some of the New Zealand district championships.
“Our pathway started with the Fiji Primary Schools tournament, Fiji Secondary Schools, Inter- District Championships and club games.
“There has been a big improvement. When my late aunt, Alini was a technical official, she pushed to get more young umpires and match officials to be scorers.
“We’re getting more young girls but it is becoming very hard as more are playing. They don’t the need to be umpires.
“That was one of her targets, so we got in some of the very young girls and panel of coaches.”
She thanked the support of veteran umpires like Gabiriele Qoro and feel
Moape Vu.
“It’s a mind-changing thing, we can’t all be national reps like Taraima Rara.
“We also need scorers, and match officials.”
Coaching career
“Umpire and coaching are a bit similar. For my Alumni club I just teach them what I have been seeing, no experience at all.
“I have finished the foundation and Level-Up coaching courses with NetGo.
“Things do not come easy, you have to work towards it to achieve your goals.
Future Plans
“For 2021,I want to get back to umpiring and hope to be selected for the World Youth Netball Championship. That’s one of my main targets. “And for my coaching, I will move up a level.”
Rabitu also acknowledges PSP and NetGo programme country coordinator, Unaisi Rokoura for her tremendous support..