HONIARA (Solomon Islands) - When Winnie Laora stepped onto the court at the FIBA Women’s Melanesian Cup, she wasn’t just wearing the Solomon Islands jersey, she was carrying her family, her village, and the hopes of girls across the Oceania region.
You can do it. Even though you’re a girl, you can do it. Girls can do anything. If you accept to learn what you want to know; it will come easily.
"It’s my first time representing Solomon Islands at the FIBA Women’s Melanesian Cup," Laora said. "Stepping onto the court was a surreal experience, it was not just me playing, I was playing with my family's spirt, and win or lose, I will keep playing."
For Laora, basketball is more than a sport. It is a platform for leadership, inclusion, and change. As a Basketball For Good Coach, she’s become a beacon for young girls in schools and communities who rarely see women in sporting roles. Her message is clear: girls belong on the court, and they belong in leadership.
"It’s not just basketball for boys only," she urges. "We girls can do anything, too. If boys can dribble the ball, we girls can dribble too. If boys can rebound, we can rebound too."
Throughout the tournament, Laora’s resilience has shone. Despite tough matchups, she and her teammates fought to the final whistle.
"We have had very tough games, but we don’t give any chance to let it slide. We compete until the end."
But it’s what happens off the court that moves Laora most.
After one game, she heard a voice from the bench: "Good game, Coach." It was a moment that brought her close to tears.
"I felt like what I taught back in the schools, its impact," she shared. "It’s not just me teaching them how to play basketball, but it’s an impact I made on them. Being a coach, you’ve got to show what you taught. It’s not just about playing in your community but taking up the role to represent your country as well."
Laora’s journey began in Tuo Village Temotu Province, Reef Islands, where there’s no basketball court. Her dream is to return and build one - to bring the sport home.
"That’s my one big goal," Laroa said. "I would like to go back to my people, my families, my brothers and sisters back home, and introduce the sport. I’m starting from me, and then I walk forward."
Even without a court, her village tunes in, via radio or TV, to hear her name, to feel her presence. For Laora, that connection is everything.
"I’m representing the country, not just the country, but also my family, my kids, my brothers and sisters. If they are interested, they must take up the role as well. My role here is to encourage them, to create a safe space where they can learn, not just basketball, but sport and leadership."
Her advice to a young girl standing at the edge of a court, unsure if she belongs …
"You can do it. Even though you’re a girl, you can do it. Girls can do anything. If you accept to learn what you want to know; it will come easily."
Winnie Laora is more than a player. She’s a coach, a leader, and a living example of what happens when women are seen, heard, and supported in sport. Her journey is a reminder that representation matters,, and that one woman’s courage can light the path for many.
FIBA