Grace Mareva, owner of Gloemca Tailoring, is now a major sponsor and team manager for Gamunomu Storms in Sinaugoro Rugby Nines—bringing youth support and a rare female leadership presence to a male-dominated sport.
Gamunomu Rugby Nines has a new kind of leader in its midst: Grace Mareva, the businesswoman behind Gloemca Tailoring and the driving force behind ‘Gloemca Storms’.. In Sinaugoro, she is showing what happens when community ambition meets sport—especially in a space that has long looked male on the sidelines.
Mareva’s role goes beyond simply putting money into jerseys.. She manages Gamunomu Storms and also sponsors the team, using her success in her home village to create opportunities for young players in Gamunomu.. Her business focuses on bags and apparel, and she has been building steady work through local contracts, including supplying bags to Kina Bank for nearly three years.
Her shift into the men’s game wasn’t a quick trend decision.. Mareva previously worked in the cash-in-transit security sector, a line of work that is also heavily shaped by male participation.. After resigning from Corps Security due to injury in 2023, she redirected her energy toward tailoring and community development—then, a family connection helped open the sports door.. Her brother, a director for the tournament, encouraged her to sponsor a side from her village.
As the Sinaugoro season gets underway, Mareva is making her presence felt in a way that players notice immediately.. In her view, being a woman leading team management brings an added layer of discipline and respect.. She describes it as a “new thing” for many of the players—something unfamiliar at first, but accepted as a familiar source of care and responsibility.. Her focus is not just about winning games; it’s also about building an environment where players understand expectations and accountability.
For context, rugby 9s in many Pacific communities carries more than athletic meaning.. It often functions as a public stage for young men to prove themselves, earn recognition, and move closer to higher-level opportunities.. When a woman steps into a management role in that setting, it changes the everyday tone of how teams operate—who feels responsible, who speaks up, and what kind of example leadership sets.
Mareva’s background in sports leadership helps her carry that role confidently.. She has previously managed teams in Alotau for a decade and has sponsored volleyball and netball tournaments back in Gamunomu.. That history matters because she isn’t approaching the sport from the sidelines; she is bringing management experience, event support experience, and a community-first mindset into a tournament that draws attention across the region.
The practical impact is already visible for the players.. With the Sinaugoro tournament underway, the Gloemca Storms received new jerseys through Mareva’s SME as part of her broader commitment to promoting local business while supporting youth leadership.. For young athletes, uniforms are more than gear—there’s pride in representing your village properly, and motivation often follows the moment a team steps onto the field looking sharp and ready.
As the weekend games conclude, the Storms find themselves in a strong position.. They are currently leading their pool and are expected to head into finals this weekend at Gomore village.. For Mareva, that on-field progress aligns with her off-field message: women and community supporters in Sinaugoro’s wider area—Rigo, Central, in particular—should take a more active role in backing young boys and girls.
Her push is also a challenge to other women who may feel sport support is “not their space.” Mareva frames it as a responsibility rooted in local development—encouraging communities to help youth financially and to keep encouraging them so they can “one day” become important figures in their own right.. In that sense, the tournament becomes a living argument for wider participation: leadership doesn’t have to mirror tradition to still earn respect.