GOLD COAST (Australia) – WiLEAD, FIBA’s Women in Leadership Program has been designed to identify, educate, motivate and develop the next generation of female leaders in management and administration, while also increasing gender diversity by creating new pathways and support network.

WiLEAD is providing opportunity for young female leaders in the Oceania region with the Maureen Elphinston Scholarship being awarded to Lia Rangamar from Northern Marianas Islands and Sera Vugakoto from Fiji for their contribution to the program.

The announcement of this inaugural scholarship highlights the positive impact of female empowerment and development across Oceania aligning with FIBA’s strategic priority of ‘Women in Basketball’ for 2019-2023 aiming to increase the role of females at all levels of the sport. 

Bob Elphinston is thrilled to assist with fulfilling his late wife’s (Maureen) legacy in support of the WiLEAD program.

“We are very grateful to FIBA for their willingness to honour my late wife, Maureen Elphinston, with this scholarship enabling Lia and Sera to further their leadership skills within the basketball community,” Elphinston said.

Maureen represented Australia at the 1967 FIBA Women’s World Championship in Czechoslovakia and after retiring as a player, she devoted her life to coaching young girls and working in the administration of basketball.

“She would be incredibly proud of what this scholarship will provide these two women as they strive to learn more and pave the way for developing future female basketball administrators.”

The Maureen Elphinston Scholarship will support Rangamar and Vugakoto in the final phase of FIBA’s Women in Leadership initiative, WiLEAD, with an internship at an Australian Association.  Conducted in partnership with Basketball New South Wales, the internship is a part of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 legacy that will provide both women with the opportunity to be involved in a basketball association outside their home country.

“Maureen Elphinston was an all-rounder in basketball and to be able to learn and develop my knowledge of basketball in her name is a great honour,” Vugakoto said.  “In Fiji, basketball helps women and girls develop important life skills, they are surrounded by friends at basketball who can influence them to make better choices for the future.”

Rangamar echoed Vugakoto’s comments and added, “I am truly honoured and humbled to be a recipient of the Maureen Elphinston scholarship.  As I’ve begun to transition to other roles in basketball, availing of this scholarship provides an opportunity to grow and learn all that I can for both myself and my community.  To be given this huge opportunity through this scholarship is testament to Maureen Elphinston’s legacy, and for that I am incredibly grateful.”

Rangamar and Vugakoto have been participating in the WiLEAD program in Oceania which provided eight participants from eight countries in the region.  Participants took part in a six-week online workshop at the end of 2021 before developing their own programs to engage participants and build confidence in their ability to lead such programs.

Vugakoto said her experience through the WiLEAD program has inspired her to continue her basketball journey and share her learnings with her community.

“My experience with the WiLEAD program has been awesome,” Vugakoto said.  “One of the most important things I have learnt is that to be a good leader, you need to get the little things right and that will then have a ripple effect.”

Rangamar added, “I believe that basketball is an avenue to so many things for the girls out here (Northern Marianas Island).  It is about more than just the health benefits; girls can grow as players and as individuals.  They learn what it means to be a teammate, and they get a chance to showcase their athleticism and talent.  Basketball really has the power to bring people together and allows women to forge friendships and memories that last a lifetime.”

FIBA

About WiLEAD

Supporting the next generation of female leaders, FIBA's Women in Leadership programs, WiLEAD focuses on management and administration, while also increasing gender diversity and creating new pathways and support networks. In 2021, the Europe edition of the program, supported by the European Union, featured 31 participants from 30 countries, while in Oceania the WiLEAD Internship program was launched for Pacific countries.