Meet PNG Orchids Vice Captain Gloria Kaupa : Journey to leadership

At RLWC2017, schoolgirl Gloria Kaupa was the youngest player in the Papua New Guinea Orchids squad and played just a handful of minutes against New Zealand in the team’s final match of the tournament. But she channeled her disappointment into motivation – and rose to become vice-captain of the team by the time of the 2019 test series against England.

It has been a long journey for Goroka-based Gloria, who stars in the internationally released PNG Orchids documentary Power Meri, to persuade her community to support her playing rugby league as a woman (for religious reasons). She says the turning point was the Orchids’ match against England in 2019 in her hometown.

“When we played in Goroka, it was the first time half of my church members, as well as my community came to watch…more than 50 people who knew me. After that, they were more supportive and started to take women in rugby league more seriously,” she says.

Gloria has taken it upon herself to develop women’s rugby league in Goroka, setting up and player-coaching a new club team each year. “Because women’s rugby league in PNG started in Goroka, more Goroka women should be involved at the highest level, so I want to encourage more girls from Goroka to play and stay in rugby league.

PNG Orchids Media 

Next : PNG State Owned Enterprise minister Duma visits OTML, acknowledges contribution to PNG Economy