Always let God lead you in everything you do. If you place Him first, he will take you through to make wise decisions and protect you from injuries.
Those are the regular advice of Rooster Chicken Fijiana Drua number eight Sereima Leweniqila’s father, Ame Leweniqila, before every game or tournament.
Leweniqila Senior, 64, is one of her biggest supporters beside her sisters Serona and Evaleti and paternal grandmother who is her namesake.
The Nabouono, Udu, Macuata man raised his three daughters alone for the past 11 years since their mother passed away.
And he could not be more proud when her eldest daughter and the Fijiana Drua created history by beating four-time defending champions Waratahs 32-26 to win the Super W competition in Melbourne.
He indicated that Sereima is a silent achiever who loved her rugby.
When asked by her father of how much they were going to be paid for the Super W games, she responded: “I don’t know, but I will just go.”
Her later mother, Miriama Leweniqila from Namara, Kadavu, was a lecturer at the then Fiji School of Medicine passed away in 2011, Sereima started playing rugby a few years after.
“Education was priority for her mother,” Leweniqila Snr said.
“I think if her mother was still here, she might not have played rugby because she pushed them to excel academically.
“She used to play netball and basketball when she went to Wesley College in New Zealand, and played other sports but not rugby.
“She returned because scholarships were closed due to the coup, she was accepted at Otago University to study medicine.
“Sereima only started playing rugby when she was employed at the Westpac bank.”
Leweniqila Snr indicated Sereima has faced a lot of challenges through her rugby career, but she endured it all.
He was thankful to God that despite most of the experienced players were not part of the team, Sereima was among Coach Senirusi Seruvakula’s match- 23.
“It was a new selection altogether. Seruvakula has changed a lot of things in the team from attitude to the way they play,” Leweniqila said.
“She has her moments of depression regarding her rugby but we are always supporting and encouraging her but most of all pray for her.”
Sereima attended Veiuto Primary School then Suva Grammar School for and later at Wesley College in New Zealand.