The inspirational example of her mother and the encouragement of Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons star Tamika Upton are driving Emmanita Paki as she tackles life and her blossoming footy career.
The Harvey Norman Queensland Under 19s flyer is driven to take every opportunity she can after her own family experience has taught her that life can change in an instant.
One of four children, the Central Queensland Capras centre spoke about how her dear mum Seilala’s heart wrenching accident as a child had taught her never to take anything for granted.
“My mum has done a lot for me and has been a big inspiration on my life and on everyone around her,” Paki said.
“She has one arm. When she was three she tripped over and landed with her left arm on the road and a truck came along and ran over it.
“It was inches from her head, so I take everything in sports with two hands when I can. Anything could have happened, and maybe I wouldn’t have been here today, so I am very grateful about who she is and what she has done for all of us kids.
“There was some stuff she couldn’t do with us, like passing the ball around, but she always tried her hardest. I try and make progress so that mum has worked for something worth living for.”
Paki will play for the Harvey Norman Queensland Under 19s in the curtain raiser to the State of Origin showdown on Friday at the Sunshine Coast, where Upton will line up at fullback as one of the stars of the women’s game.
Paki credits Upton with lighting a fire in her to make the transition to rugby league.
“It is sort of a weird story. I was living last year with Tamika Upton, her sister Sharni and their parents in Rockhampton and they asked me to play for the local Yeppoon Seagulls club,” Paki said.
“Unfortunately COVID came around and we couldn’t get to play together, which would have been good to see, but now it would be really good to follow [in Upton’s footsteps].
“I am from Emerald. She is from Blackwater. I was always around her. My touch and netball coach was her mum, so I got all those kind of skills from her. Tamika has taught me everything that I know in league now.
“I’d played netball and touch for my whole life and just made the transfer to footy this year, and the rest is history.”
Upton’s rise to be a dual-premiership winner with the Brisbane Broncos and star for the Maroons with two tries in her Origin debut last year came as no shock to Paki after she got to see first-hand her commitment and desire to be a success.
“I knew it was going to come for her just with how hard she worked during quarantine where she was always at the gym,” Paki said.
“It is no surprise to me. That’s just Tamika Upton.”
Paki has worked hard herself. She played every minute of her six BHP Premiership games in the centres for the Capras this year in what was an experience she treasured.
“I loved it. The girls knew it was my first year so they really encouraged me and helped me through the pre-season with new moves I wasn’t aware of,” Paki said.
“They also helped me with my tackling, which I wasn’t really capable of doing at the start, but they believed in me all the way through and kept pushing me.
“Playing centre the whole season was really good. At the moment I am just wanting to learn the game.”
Paki is of Tongan heritage and she looks up to an international centre who epitomises the kind of person and player she regards as the perfect role model.
“Will Hopoate has really high standards. One of them is being really respectful towards others and he treats everyone really nice,” Paki said.
“It is a big thing to be grateful for everything you have, and hopefully I have been doing it so far.”
Hopoate would be proud of Paki. She now works with the Capras as a community co-ordinator, where her words of wisdom no doubt inspire youngsters to also pursue their own dreams.
“I go out and visit the kids and hopefully make a change in their life and steer them in the right way,” Paki said.
“I let them know it is possible to do anything they believe in.”
The Harvey Norman Queensland Under 19s game will be livestreamed on NRL.com and on QRL.com.au.
