Swapping a hockey stick for football boots has paid off for national football women’s rep Naomi Waqanidrola.

The 28-year-old has been selected as Fiji’s first OFC Women’s Football ambassador.

Waqanidrola is among 10 others who will carry the values of women’s football across Oceania.

Since taking up the sport in 2010, the Vunibau, Serua native says she has never dreamt of being considered as an ambassador.

“Even though I am a bit old in the sport but I still have younger players I look up too, I have other senior players too that I look up too, but with this award, I didn’t expect it, but I am honored to be chosen for Fiji’s ambassador for the OFC.”

She says she is hoping to use this as platform to develop women’s football further.

“Without performance that would be a huge impact to the support that we gain from the people that watch the sport I guess, so it all comes down to how we prepare ourselves and how we develop ourselves.”

Waqanidrola has big dreams, and wants to be Fiji’s first female coach for the national women’s team.