Youth representative Sercheenio Moeljakarta of Coronie is calling for an official honour for football coach Doris Rigters. In a personal tribute, written in the context of 175 years since the district’s name change, he highlights her years of commitment to girls’ and boys’ football and mentoring young people.
Moeljakarta spoke with the 69-year-old Rigters about her football career, the teams she founded and the importance of discipline. According to him, her contribution extended beyond sport: she also paid attention to school performance, behaviour and the future of her players.
Rigters grew up in a family in which football played an important role. Her brothers and cousins played the sport, which also sparked her interest. In 1982, she played for the women’s team Sportiva, which later became known as Moderna. There, she began mentoring and training younger players.
From Adjoema to Youth Stars
Rigters subsequently founded the girls’ team Adjoema. According to her, the name arose after a resounding victory, when her cousin and best friend Joan Esajas remarked that the players had really turned up the heat on their opponents. The name referred to the spicy adjoemapeper.
Esajas supported Rigters, among other things, by taking players to the football field and dropping them off at home after training. For Moeljakarta, this part of the story has personal significance: Esajas was his grandmother and caregiver.
Boys also approached Rigters with the request to start a team. This led to the formation of Youth Stars, which later became known as Wi Moksi. According to Rigters, about fifty young people came to the field on some training days. In order to coach everyone, she divided the training sessions among different age groups.
Attention to school and discipline
Discipline was an important part of her approach. Young people had to keep their agreements, show respect and take their education seriously. Moeljakarta, who himself took part in several training sessions, recalls that Rigters asked about school performance. When things were not going well at school, this could affect participation in training.
Rigters says that several former trainees later reached the Surinamese top division and that some gained international football experience. The achievements of her teams are also among her cherished memories. According to her, Adjoema won a championship and Wi Moksi finished second in the championships in Coronie, qualifying the team for the interdistrict tournament.
Former players still visit her. Some ask whether she wants to start another team or want to involve her in training sessions. Rigters misses coaching, but says that physical complaints now limit her possibilities.
Call for official recognition
According to Rigters, she has not yet received an official honour for her commitment. However, a nephew previously organised a tribute for her on her birthday at the football field.
Moeljakarta believes that her contribution to the development of young people deserves official recognition. He advocates for a high honour from the President of Suriname. According to the youth representative, the commemoration of 175 years since Coronie’s name change also provides an opportunity to pay attention to people who have been active within the district for years.
To young people aspiring to a football career, Rigters advises that talent must go hand in hand with hard work and discipline. She encourages them to take their education and future seriously, avoid drugs and alcohol, and continue working towards their goals.
