In October 2025, Coach Nikki brought the first American Samoa women’s team to Ningbo, China, to compete for a spot in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) World Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany, in 2026.

In August 2025, Coach Nikki had just returned from Canton, Ohio, where she had gone to support her youngest daughter and participate in a college showcase for the 2025 NFL Flag Championships, when she was contacted by the American Samoa National Football Federation and appointed Head Coach of the women’s national team that would be heading to Ningbo, China, in October 2025.

Coach Nikki was deeply honored that the American Samoa Federation took a chance on her. Throughout her life, she had always found ways to represent her culture, especially in places and on platforms where there was significant underrepresentation of Polynesians. Being given the opportunity to represent her Samoan heritage and help create a foothold for future Polynesian female athletes was the dream of a lifetime.

Coach Nikki led the women’s team to fourth place in the Asia-Oceania Continental Championships for 2025, with the team ranking 30th overall internationally.

Coach Nikki’s next step has been to create female club teams to feed and grow the American Samoa Women’s National Team in hopes that they can make it to the Olympic Games in the coming years.

---