PNG Palais 7s veteran Alice Alois embraces the juggle of motherhood, career and professional sport

Australia Broadcast Center

23-05-2025

From donning the tri-colours and representing her country in rugby sevens, Papua New Guinea Palais 7s veteran Alice Alois continues to break barriers: balancing motherhood, a full-time job and sporting commitments as a national representative.
Recently Alois and fellow Palais 7s veteran Joanne Lagona led the Kramer Asia Pacific Sisters to victory to claim the women's sevens title at the Sport Tok 7s national tournament.
Alois also picked up Player of the Tournament honours following her team's victory in Port Moresby.
The 28-year-old said her sevens journey had been challenging but with many blessings.
On the rise
Growing up just outside of Port Moresby, her father was a mechanic with the PNG Defence Force and her family lived in the Goldie Barracks.
"My journey into rugby was not what I had in mind growing up. I had always wanted to compete and represent my country in athletics," she said.
"I grew up playing netball through to my early teens and in a household surrounded by my dad and brothers, so it was really strict for me."
In 2010, she was approached to play for the Goldie Warriors in the Port Moresby rugby union competition.
With only basic rugby drills learned at training, she went on to play her first game against the Spartans women, a team dominated by the national team PNG Palais players.
Alois led the KAPAC Sisters 7s team to secure the 2025 Sport Tok 7s Women's Cup. She also won player of the tournament. ( Sport Tok 7s )
"The first time I played a game of sevens, I was tackled and hit so hard I ended up having to have a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) but instead of feeling scared, it only motivated me to keep pushing," Alois said.
She said part of her motivation was her mother, who always encouraged her to keep going.
As a 15-year-old, she was scouted by the then-national women's coach John Larry who saw her potential. However, the training schedule was challenging for a young woman in PNG.
"The biggest challenge for me then was my movements before and after training; trying to get home before dark," she said.
Representing Papua New Guinea
Alois' first opportunity to represent Papua New Guinea came in 2012 when she was selected for the Oceania Rugby 7s in Fiji. But she was underage and her father wouldn't allow her to travel with the squad.
"I missed out on a couple of international tours before the Sydney Invitational 7s arrived," she said.
"My mum was my hero, she believed in me and always encouraged me to never give up even with the challenges faced; if men could do it, so could I."
Her father still took some convincing but she was finally allowed to don the PNG colours at the Sydney 7s tournament.
Team PNG Women's Rugby 7s squad after their silver medal finish at the 2023 Pacific Games in Solomon Islands. ( Team PNG )
For the next few years, she was called up for national representative duties with the PNG Palais 7s playing in the Coral Coast 7s, Oceania Rugby 7s, Borneo 7s and other international sevens competitions.
However, her most memorable moment was playing on home soil during the 2015 Pacific Games.
"That's the first time my family was present to watch me play. It also changed my ambition when we won bronze."
Motherhood
Alois' life took an unexpected turn when she found out she was expecting her daughter Victoria with partner and former PNG Pukpuk 7s player Wesley Vali.
"I was really devastated that I would miss out on another huge opportunity but at the same time was already embracing the challenge of becoming a new mum," Alois said.
Alois missed the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens after giving birth to her daughter.
"Our daughter was only a month old when her dad went over to compete in the 2018 Rugby World Cup, it was tough for me but I knew I wasn't alone in this," she said.
"Vicky's dad was always thinking of us when he was away during that time because whenever he scored a try, he'd make a cradling sign to remind us that we got this."
Alois returned to training after her baby was a few months old and trialled to make the extended national squad again during the 2018 Rookie 7s tournament in Port Moresby.
"Vicky became my motivation to be disciplined and committed to getting back," Alois said.
"Whenever I felt like giving up in my core training at home, I would place her in a cradle in front of me to remind me that I was doing this for her."
Young Victoria Vali is following in her parents' footsteps. She participates in the Jonah Kautu Academy rugby program in Port Moresby. ( Supplied )
Alois returned to the 7s circuit in time for the Hong Kong 7s tour and scored one try in their game against Scotland.
She celebrated with the cradle sign paying homage to her partner in her return to national duties on live TV.
Balancing life
In 2019, she made the Team PNG squad winning bronze in Apia Samoa. COVID-19 hit in 2020 and made it difficult to compete overseas.
Alois was given a captaincy role during a 2021 tour but 2022 came with a new set of challenges.
She started a new job with Tactical Solutions International and so began the balancing act of motherhood, her rugby commitments and full-time employment before she was dealt a devastating blow.
Alois lost her number one supporter, her mother.
She realised that she was now the lady of the house, taking the lead with household duties as well as being employed, having a full schedule of rugby training and making time for her daughter.
PNG 7s veterans Alice Alois and Wesley Vali with their daughter Vicky during independence celebrations in Port Moresby. ( Supplied )
"I remembered what my mum always reminded me of in order to overcome challenges, I had to stay disciplined, committed and have a mindset of never giving up," Alois said.
"One day rugby will take care of you, put bread and butter on your plate, never forget that. If men can do it, you can do it too."
Alois' last 7s international tour was in 2024 to Poland for the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger before the PNG Rugby Union was suspended, halting all Rugby 7s duties for its national teams.
However, as Alois proved at the Sport Tok 7s, her sevens journey is far from over.