GOLD COAST (Australia) – With the 2026 edition of the Women in Basketball LEAD Program concluding in Oceania, internship recipients have been announced, with Christella Kalsrap from Vanuatu and Theresa Masoe-Taimalelagi from Samoa to continue their leadership development through placements in Australia supported by PacificAus Sports.
The announcement marks the final milestone of this year’s program, which has played a key role in advancing FIBA’s Strategy through the Women in Basketball pillar, particularly its focus on strengthening pathways for women in leadership across all levels of the sport.
Throughout the 2026 program, participants engaged in a series of online workshops, mentoring sessions, and practical development activities designed to build capability in administration, safeguarding, coaching, and community engagement. The two internship recipients demonstrated strong commitment and growth across these areas, earning the opportunity to further their development through hands‑on experience with partner organisations in Australia.
FIBA Executive Director – Oceania, Amanda Jenkins, said the internships reflect the program’s purpose of creating meaningful pathways for women to lead and influence the sport.
“The Women in Basketball LEAD Program continues to identify and elevate leaders who are already making a difference in their communities,” Jenkins said. “Christella and Theresa have shown exceptional dedication throughout the program, and these internships will give them the practical experience and networks to strengthen basketball development in Vanuatu and Samoa. We are proud to support their next steps and grateful to PacificAus Sports for enabling opportunities that create long-term impact across our region.”
For Theresa, the internship is an opportunity to deepen Samoa’s connections and strengthen collaboration. “I felt immense gratitude, first to God, then to FIBA for recognising Samoa National Basketball Association and what we are working to achieve,” she said.
She hopes to build strong networks with her host organisation and explore opportunities for a twinning relationship that can support shared learning and program delivery. Her vision is for women in Samoa and across Oceania to be “strong, self-reliant and confident in their voice so they can lift others.”
For Christella, the selection is a milestone in her long-standing commitment to basketball in Vanuatu.
“It feels so unreal. I never thought I would go as far as becoming an intern at a regional level,” she said. Eager to learn across coaching, officiating, injury management, and safeguarding, Christella’s goal is to return home equipped to support her federation and help grow the sport.
With the program wrapping up, the achievements of the full cohort highlight the strength of women’s leadership across Oceania. The support of PacificAus Sports, the internships awarded to Christella and Theresa will further strengthen the capacity of their federations and contribute to the long-term growth of basketball in the Pacific.
About PacificAus Sports
PacificAus Sports is an Australian Government sports diplomacy initiative developing pathways for Pacific teams and athletes to compete in elite competitions and access high performance coaching in Australia and internationally. The program supports a range of Pacific sports, including basketball, rugby league, rugby union, netball, football, AFL, cricket and Olympic/Paralympic sports, with funding split evenly between women and men.
PacificAus Sports also partners with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) to promote Pacific sport through ABC Television’s ‘That Pacific Sports Show’ and ABC Radio’s ‘Fresh Off the Field’. The high-performance outcomes of PacificAus Sports are complemented by the Australian Government’s Team Up program, which focuses on sport for development in the Pacific. For more information about PacificAus Sports and its initiatives, visit www.pacificaussports.gov.au and follow PacificAus Sports on Facebook.