Vilisoni Atama (middle) with players at the HPU Gym in Laucala Bay, Suva.

Vilisoni Atama knew from a young age that he wanted to work in the sports industry and help players perform to the best of their capabilities.

After high school, he visited tertiary institutions and found that the Fiji National University (FNU) offered programmes in this field and enrolled in the Trade Diploma in Sports Science in 2013.

Sports Science students study how a healthy human body works during exercise, and how sport and physical activity promote health and performances. Through the scientific study of sport, students can develop an understanding of how the body reacts to exercise, training, different environments and other factors.

“I was glad to find out that FNU has this programme so I enrolled and made sure I did everything I could to excel in this course,” Atama said.

“Through this technical and vocational education and training (TVET) course I was not only able to gain the skills and experiences I needed, but I had the chance to meet students from other schools around Fiji and learn alongside them.”

“During my studies, my parents were in Nauru, so I just focused on my studies and made use of the extra assistance given by my lecturers who were ready to explain concepts until we understood them.”

Atama graduated from the programme in 2016 and was 23 when he started working for the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU).

He is employed by FRU’s High-Performance Unit (HPU) as a strength and conditioning coach and works daily with players such as those who are part of the men’s national rugby 7s team.

“I am assigned to look after one academy group, the elite boys, and so I write down their training programmes and when they come into the gym I show them what they will be doing for the day and monitor their training.”

“I also monitor their weight, fitness levels and diet. If they are injured, I ensure we work with physiotherapists to get them back to best health.”

“It’s a great feeling to watch players perform to their best on the field and know that you also contributed, in a way, to that.”

Atama said his professional highlight was being employed by FRU straight after tertiary studies and working with national players.

“I’ve been on tours with our national teams to places like New Zealand and Australia.”

“Through my role working with the players, I am glad to contribute to the sports industry and plan to further my studies later on.”

“Through this TVET programme, I was able to achieve my short-term career plans.”

FNU is a dual-sector university that provides vocational education and training and higher education programmes in Fiji and the Pacific region. Enrolment for Semester 1, 2021 is now underway.