Margaret Aka

Margaret Aka (born 1976 ) is a soccer player and coach from Papua New Guinea. She is the first woman in Papua New Guinea — and the first in the world outside of New Zealand — to receive an Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) B License in coaching. The first woman in Papua New Guinea to coach a male league team, she is also only the third to do so worldwide. Growing up, Aka heard stories from her father about playing soccer. She did not play soccer as a child, however, as it was widely considered a sport for boys.

League play Aka built a career as a striker. Aka began the 1996 season with Telikom Football Club. Playing with them until 2006, she helped the team win seven grand finals in the Port Moresby Soccer Association competition, and nine club championships. From 2006-2008 Aka played in Brisbane, Australia, with Gap Football Club in the Brisbane Women's Premier League, through AUSAID.

International play In 1998, Aka played striker on the PNG national team in the OFC Cup in New Zealand. came to PNG in 2016. Aka served as the coordinator for this "legacy program," which was intended to help maintain momentum in women's soccer after PNG hosted the 2016 Women's World Cup.

By January 2017, Aka had taken the role of PNGFA women's football development officer. She is still in that position as of 2020.

Coaching career Frederica Sakette, a past PNGFA women's football development officer, recruited Aka as a volunteer coach in 2013. In November, 2018, Aka assistant coached the national team for the OFC Women's Nations Cup, where they won the bronze medal. In 2019 she assisted mentor Frederica Sakette who was coaching the women's team for the Pacific Games, at which the team won their fourth consecutive gold medal.

The Erima Flyover, PMSA Division 2, was the first men's team Aka coached. They made it to the grand final. That achievement led to her coaching position with the all male Southern Strikers in 2018. Aka noted that the support she got from national and international soccer organizations made it possible for her to complete the accreditation process.

Awards The Westpac Outstanding Women Award recognized Aka for her achievements in soccer, in particular her coaching and her contribution to community life in PNG, with the Moore Printing Sports Award in 2019.