Vasiti Vugakoto remembers her mum, Tuipulotu Bulivou Taoba Vugakoto as a strong woman of faith.

She was 75 when she passed away early this week.

And she was the backbone of her children’s sporting achievements, especially in netball.

The Vugakoto family is closely linked with the Lomaiviti Netball Club which marks its 50th anniversary this year.

It was through her hard work and support for sports, helped her children to be national reps.

Of her seven children, three of her daughters, Vasiti, Timaima Vulimailaucala and Tuipulotu Vugakoto McLennan , were national netball reps, while the brothers were basketball reps.

Originally from Tubou, Lakeba, Lau, she married Tevita Vugakoto from Naigani, Lomaiviti.

The late Tuipulotu was a school teacher by profession and helped in many areas of the education unit as well as in sports.

She was the sister of former Flying Fijians lock forward  Ilisoni Taoba.

She was a great supporter of the Suva Netball Association.

“She was a very strong woman, a woman of faith.  We her children have learnt a lot about the role of being a wife, she was strong-minded.

“She likes to take every task on board and not complain and make sure that it was perfect.

“Her contribution to netball was her support for her daughters, making sure that our performance was perfect every time we play.

“For me, that was her major contribution, ensuring that we were perfect in our shooting and netball skills.

“She was also one of the founders of the Fiji Umpires Association where she was president for a number of years,” Vasiti added.

She served her final years of service at the Curriculum Development Unit at the Ministry of Education.

After retiring she kept working as part of a group of retirees, trying to enhance the teaching of Fijian language in school.

Her funeral service will be at Raiwaqa Methodist Church on Friday at 9 am before she would be laid to rest at Suva Cemetery at 12pm.

Edited by Osea Bola