TEN years ago, Shama Maemae, a passionate footballer from the Solomon Islands, embarked on a journey that would reshape her dreams.
Originally, she had her sights set on reaching the highest levels of football as a player. She played for Marist FC, a club in Honiara, and dreamed of one day representing her country on the world stage.
But in 2014, life took a different turn for Shama. She made the bold decision to switch from playing to refereeing.
Shama’s journey into officiating began when she was still a teenager.
“Yeah, I decided to switch to refereeing because, like, hey, it’s interesting for me,” she recalls.
“So, I stopped playing at the age of 18. I was still in high school at the time.”
The transition wasn’t easy. Shama spent three years earning her license to officiate, starting with competitions organised by the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF). She began by officiating women’s matches but soon found herself in charge of men’s games as well—a challenging environment where earning respect wasn’t always easy.
“I know when I was a kid, we never had any women refereeing,” Shama reflects. Yet, she persisted.
Over time, things changed. Shama’s confidence grew, and so did the respect she received from the players. “I just do my job. It’s got challenges, but I just let it go,” she says, reflecting on the sometimes-harsh criticism she faced.
“For me, some of the comments were negative. But I have learned to just let it go, and move on.”
Her determination paid off. She recently officiated at the OFC Men’s U-16 Championship in Tahiti. It was her first time as a referee at an OFC men’s competition, having been an assistant referee previously, and she was one of only three female officials in the tournament, and the only one appointed to matches.
But Shama wasn’t intimidated.
“It was okay because Vaihina (an assistant referee) was there too, and we hung out together. But it was good being with the other referees and experiencing their cultures. I learned something from them, and we learned from each other.” She reflected.
OFC Head of Refereeing Kevin Stoltenkamp is positive that Maemae will continue to develop, and eventually earn selection to officiate at a FIFA Women’s World Cup which shapes as her ultimate goal.
“Yeah, my goal one day is to go as far as World Cups. That’s what I’m aiming for. And I think that’s part of the strategy and all the plans that Kevin’s got for me to give me more experience.”
Maemae is relishing the opportunity she has been given to officiate at men’s tournaments where the pace of the game is faster, “you’ve got to be really alert with your decisions,” she explained.
And for any aspiring female referees in the Pacific, Shama has some advice:
“Don’t give up. You can do it. And don’t think you can’t do it. We are women; we can do it. Whatever challenges you face, please don’t dwell on them too much. Just let it go, and it will make you stronger. For me, it’s made me stronger.”
Shama’s journey is far from over. With the support of instructors and the OFC team, she continues to grow in her career. From officiating at the OFC Women’s U-16 Championship to the Nations Cup and the Women’s Champions League, Shama is gathering the experience she needs to achieve her ultimate dream and proving to the world that with passion and perseverance, anything is possible.
