RIYADH: An oval-shaped ball was enough to make Ameera Marghalani curious about a sport she had barely heard of growing up.
Rugby was still new in Saudi Arabia when her coach introduced her to the game during her senior year of high school.
“I think what first drew me to rugby was honestly how different it was,” Marghalani told Arab News.
“Even the oval shape of the ball caught my attention because I had never seen or played a sport with a ball like that before. Rugby was also still very new in Saudi Arabia, and I had never really heard about it growing up, so naturally I was curious and wanted to know more about it.”
She started attending training sessions and classes, initially seeing rugby as something new to try.
“At first, it was just something new for me to try, but as I kept going, I became more interested and started really enjoying the sport,” she said.
Marghalani enjoyed the intensity of the game, the teamwork and the challenge of learning something completely new.
“I love the intensity, the teamwork, and the feeling of pushing yourself beyond what you thought you could do,” she said.
“Eventually, I had the opportunity to compete and represent Saudi Arabia, which was something I never expected when I first started.”
Marghalani noted that the first time she realized the sport could offer opportunities beyond playing was when she became a commentator at the Saudi Games.
“That experience opened my eyes to the different ways I could be involved in the sport and contribute to its growth,” she said.
“I could help create opportunities, raise awareness, inspire others to get involved, and contribute to the development of sports in the Kingdom.”
Marghalani explained that some of the opportunities that made the biggest difference in her career included becoming a referee and participating in the PIF WIMENA panel.
“Being able to share the sport with others and help raise awareness has made me realize that my journey isn’t just about playing, but also about helping grow the sport and creating opportunities for the next generation,” she said.
Marghalani recalled that one of the challenges when she started was stepping into something completely unfamiliar.
“Rugby wasn’t a common sport in Saudi Arabia, especially for women, and I didn’t really know what to expect,” she said.
“I was learning the sport from scratch while also trying to find my place within the community.”
With few women in Saudi rugby to look up to at the time, Marghalani said the idea of becoming that example for someone else encouraged her to continue.
“What kept me going was the idea that I could become the role model I didn’t have while playing the game,” she said.
“I wanted girls to see someone like them in rugby and know that they could do it too.”
Marghalani said the difference between opportunities available when she started and those available today are huge.
“A lot of what I was doing felt like creating the path as I went.”
Today, there are more competitions, greater visibility and more opportunities for women to become referees, coaches and leaders, she noted.
“Vision 2030 has played a big role in creating that environment and opening doors that didn’t exist before,” Marghalani said.
“What excites me most is seeing that the next generation doesn’t have to start from zero. They can look at what has already been built and dream even bigger.”
She has also noticed more women considering sport as a career rather than only a hobby.
Marghalani attributed that partly to greater visibility and representation of women across the sector.
“When I first started, there weren’t many women I could look up to in rugby,” she said.
“Now, we’re seeing more female athletes, referees, coaches and leaders. I think that visibility makes a huge difference.
“Once you see someone doing it, you start believing that you can do it too.”
Marghalani said the changes have also affected the way she views her own future in sport.
“When I first started, I didn’t always see sports as something I could build a career around. Now, I can see a real future in it,” she said.
“This journey has taught me that sometimes all it takes is saying yes and taking that first step,” Marghalani said.
She added that hopes to grow beyond being an athlete and become a sports ambassador for Saudi Arabia.
“I see myself growing beyond being an athlete and becoming a sports ambassador for Saudi Arabia”
“Most importantly, I want to look back and know that I didn’t just build a career for myself, but helped create opportunities for the women coming after me.”
