Rookie coach for the Australian Football League PNG (AFL PNG) Kurakums Under 17 girls, Dominic Worio, has led the rookie team to the 2024 AFL Pacific Cup and claimed the coveted trophy.
Under the mentorship and guidance of coach Worio, the promising Kurakums had an outstanding showing at the Pacific Cup hosted in Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.
The rookie team immediately put the tournament on notice and walked away with the championship, thumping the Fiji Vonu with a convincing scoreline of 68-9 and becoming the new Queens of the Pacific Cup in the U17 category.
Worio was privileged to coach the aspiring female AFL PNG stars and enjoyed experiencing different cultures and traditions during the tournament.
“As a coach for the 2024 AFL Pacific Cup, I am honored and blessed; I am so proud that my U17 Kurakums won the cup, which is a big history for us,” he said.
“The environment was delightful, and experiencing different Pacific Islanders traditions and cultures was beautiful. Those Pacific Island teams gave us (Kurakums) a good challenge.”
Despite lacking experience on the international stage, the talented Kurakums played their hearts out and made their presence known, making AFL PNG, their respective families, and PNG as a whole proud of their achievement.
“It’s actually an emotional thing I can say. They played with their hearts for their families and the country. They celebrated with tears of joy for the first time as the champions of the U17 female Pacific Cup,” Worio said.
Worio added that he would love to further his coaching career by helping the budding AFL talents in PNG and creating an avenue for them to expose their talents and advance their careers abroad.
“For me, I would love to help those children who don't have the opportunity to expose their skills and play overseas. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them,” the rookie coach revealed.
“So, with the talent, skills, wisdom, and knowledge I have, I want to help them and make their dreams come true, and make the country proud.
“I want to be a role model for the children who are now playing by mentoring and coaching them. I’m focusing on the basic skills to improve more and get the small things right.”
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