Netball Samoa is pleased to announce the appointment of Tia Winikerei as Head Coach of Tifaimoana Samoa ahead of the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027.

 

With the World Cup as the team’s primary international objective, Tia will lead the team’s technical preparation and contribute to player identification, squad development and performance planning as Samoa builds towards the tournament.

 

Her initial work in Samoa included observing players competing at the Samoa Netball Association Cup (SNAC) 2026 in Apia on 22 and 23 October. The tournament provided an opportunity to assess players in a competitive environment and identify potential talent for the next stage of preparations.

 

“The appointment of Tia Winikerei as Head Coach of Tifaimoana Samoa marks an important step in our preparations for the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027.

 

As a nation, we recognise the significance of this opportunity and the responsibility of preparing a team that can represent Samoa with pride, discipline and determination on the world stage.Tia’s appointment reflects our commitment to identifying eligible talent, developing a competitive squad and ensuring our players receive the guidance and preparation needed for international competition.

 

While the World Cup remains our primary focus, we are also committed to providing our players with valuable opportunities to compete internationally, strengthen their combinations and gain experience against quality opposition.

 

We welcome Tia to this important role and look forward to working with her, our players, coaches, partners and the wider netball community as we take this next step for Samoa netball.” -Justine Wilson-Ata, CEO Netball Samoa.

 

The Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 remains the central focus of Tifaimoana Samoa’s preparations. Alongside its World Cup campaign, the team will compete in the Singlife Nations Cup 2026 next month in Singapore and the PacificAus Netball Series in March 2027.

 

These competitions will provide valuable opportunities to test the team against international and regional opposition, strengthen on-court combinations, assess performance under competitive conditions and continue developing the squad. Participation in these competitions will form part of the team’s broader preparation as it works towards representing Samoa at the Netball World Cup.

 

About Coach Tia Winikerei

Tia Winikerei is an experienced high-performance netball coach who was appointed Head Coach of New Zealand’s Northern Mystics ahead of the 2023 ANZ Premiership season. Before taking on elite coaching, she spent 16 years in the New Zealand Police, where she progressed to the rank of detective sergeant and developed extensive experience in leadership, teamwork and managing people under pressure.

 

Her pathway into high-performance coaching included retraining in sport, recreation and performance, working with young people through Sport Waitākere, Secondary Schools and serving as Community Netball Manager for Netball Northern. She also served as the inaugural Head Coach of the Mystics men’s team in 2022 before progressing to the franchise’s senior coaching role.

 

Winikerei’s coaching approach places emphasis on team unity, individual contribution, strong team culture and creating an environment in which players can contribute to collective performance. Her appointment brings high-performance coaching experience to Tifaimoana Samoa as the team prepares for the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027.

 

“It is a tremendous honour to be appointed Head Coach of Tifaimoana Samoa. I feel privileged to be part of this journey and to help bring Samoa’s talent, passion and potential to the world stage at the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027.

 

Over the years, I have coached many Samoan players and have seen first-hand their exceptional talent for reading our game, competing with strength and dominating the sport. I have followed Tifaimoana through the Oceania series and in overseas competitions for many years.

 

Last week I was excited by the opportunity to observe players in the local SNAC tournament, played in Samoa. There is genuine potential within the Samoan netball community, and together, we have an opportunity to build a team that believes in its ability to compete on the world stage.

 

The upcoming trials in Auckland and Sydney are an important step towards bringing together the depth of talent across our Samoan communities. Every player who has the privilege of wearing the Tifaimoana dress carries more than the responsibility of performing on court. They carry the hopes and pride of Samoa, along with the opportunity to inspire the next generation of young Samoan athletes who will look up to them.

 

The road to the World Cup will demand commitment, resilience and hard work. I look forward to working alongside our players, coaches and the wider netball community to create a team that represents Samoa with unity, courage and the heart that defines Samoa”. – Tia Winikerei, Head Coach Tifaimoana Samoa.

 

Following the initial talent-identification process at SNAC 2026, Tifaimoana Samoa will continue assessing eligible players through trials in New Zealand and Australia.

 

The confirmed trial dates are:

•Auckland, New Zealand: 7 November 2026

•Sydney, Australia: 14 November 2026

 

The trials will provide further opportunities to assess eligible players as the team continues building towards the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027. The selection process will consider players’ abilities, positional requirements, experience, potential and suitability for the demands of international competition.

 

Further information regarding eligibility criteria, registration, venues and participation requirements will be communicated through official Netball Samoa channels.