Pasifika teen turns period pain on the rugby field into a winning business

Grace Tooley knows what it is like to play rugby while on her period. Instead of accepting that discomfort as part of the game, the Pasifika teenager decided to do something about it.

The Rangiora High School student has now been recognised for that idea, winning the GirlBoss Innovation Award at the 2026 Canterbury GirlBoss Awards for her business, Mana Malosi.

In an interview with William Terite on Pacific Mornings, Tooley said the idea started in a business studies class through the YES Enterprise programme.

“I play a sport that has a really big problem around period and feeling comfortable while playing sports with your period.

"And I thought why don't I create a pair of shorts that make wahine feel confident and comfortable.”

Tooley’s idea speaks to a wider issue for Pacific sportswomen.

Women and girls in sport can face barriers linked to menstru/al health, with better support and access to information helping them stay active and confident. Photo/Facebook/Rooster Chicken

Research published in 2025 into the experiences of Pacific sportswomen in Aotearoa found that culture, family and sport all shape how women understand and manage menstruation while fears, silence and gaps in knowledge can affect their sporting lives.

The Pacific-specific study, My menstruation journey in sport was sad and lonely”: The menstruation experiences of Pacific sports women in Aotearoa New Zealand, was conducted by researchers Agatha Gibbons, Holly Thorpe, Keakaokawai Varner Hemi, Georgie Bruinvels, Charles Pedlar and Bruce Hamilton.

One participant described her experience as: “My menstruation journey in sport was sad and lonely.”

Research into the experiences of Pacific sportswomen in Aotearoa found challenges including menstrual poverty, gaps in menstrual and reproductive health education, and a lack of support in elite sport. The study was based on interviews with 16 Pacific sportswomen. Photo/Photosport

The name Mana Malosi reflects what she wants the brand to give young women.

“So I've called my business Mana Malosi which means strength and power and it's just to make wahine feel powerful in what they're doing and feel their mana within themselves.”

As a Pasifika student, Tooley also wanted her business to reflect who she is and create something she felt was missing from the sportswear market.

“I think my idea for my business to keep it cultural and incorporate Pasifika Maori designs was to really create something for Pasifika Maori people to be able to express themselves.”

“There’s not much active wear out there that really expresses us and to create a brand that really does that is exciting and it's good for our people.”

That cultural gap is also reflected in research into Pacific sportswomen, which found that their menstrual health needs have often been overlooked, with cultural and family knowledge playing an important role in how menstruation is understood and discussed.

Mana Malosi is Grace Tooley’s sportswear business, creating period-safe rugby shorts designed to help young wahine feel comfortable and confident while playing sport.

Researchers say better support needs to take those culturally specific experiences into account.

The issue is not limited to Pacific athletes.

Separate research published in 2026 involving international female rugby players found concerns about leakage, odour and the visibility of menstrual products could disrupt players’ focus, with tight-fitting kit also making discomfort worse.

The rugby-specific study is titled International female rugby union players’ perceptions of how the menstrual cycle affects players on and off the field”.

“The findings highlight the need for greater awareness and support around menstrual health in elite rugby," the report stated.

Tooley, who is head girl and deputy Pasifika captain at Rangiora High, says building the business while studying and playing rugby has not been easy.

Rangiora High School headgirl Grace Tooley, third from left, says she wants Mana Malosi to help Pacific and Māori women express their identity through activewear while feeling confident in sport. Photo/Facebook/Rangiora High School

“I think the biggest challenge is being so young and finding out how to find people to make the shorts and what I need to do and how to market itc.

"And all this behind work that you don't really see when you see someone making a business, it's all there.”

But the moment it started to feel real came only recently.

“I don't think it was until maybe a month ago where I realised, wow, I've actually created something, like I've actually done it, it's not something on a piece of paper anymore, like it's coming to life.”

Sport NZ has also found that making period products more accessible can help keep women and girls in sport.

A one-year project across 48 community sports clubs found free period products increased player confidence and participation, reduced stigma and helped create more inclusive environments.

Listen to Grace Tooley's full interview below.

Now, after winning the award, Tooley wants to keep building Mana Malosi and expand its range of activewear.

She also hopes her story encourages other young Pasifika women to back themselves.

“I just hope that every other Pasifika girl and wahine and woman really try their best and set goals for themselves to do stuff that they wouldn't do and to just keep achieving to their highest potential.”

Tooley says she would eventually like to study for a business degree to build her skills and take Mana Malosi further.

Her roots remain central to the business and the person behind it. “I am from Sāmoa, my family is from Sāmoa.”

The award may be a new milestone but for Tooley, Mana Malosi is only getting started.