Ilona Maher Comforts Crying Girl Who Wants To Play Football
Lena was heartbroken when she was told “girls can’t play football.” So Maher offered some helpful advice.
It’s just science: seeing Ilona Maher automatically puts everyone in a good mood. We’re sure of that even if experts are still figuring out the precise mechanisms of this phenomenon. Her presence? Radiant. Her vibes? Immaculate. That time she danced as Luisa from Encanto with her partner in a donkey costume hoisted on her shoulder? Truly, our mental happy place when times are hard. So it’s no surprise that she’s also a compassionate and encouraging mentor to young kids, as she recently demonstrated on TikTok.
The video opens with TikTok user Stephanie (@stephsayitall) and her daughter, Lena discussing something sad that had happened to the little one earlier in the day: apparently, Lena was told that girls can’t play football. The heartache is written all over her poor little face as she sniffs her way through the retelling. It’s enough to make anyone tear up in sympathy, but then Maher interjects with a stitch:
“Hi, my sweet girl! You know what you can play? Rugby. We tackle, we run, we stiff-arm. Dare I say, maybe more fun than football. And! We have the same exact rules as the boys. No differences. So tell your mama to bring you out to some practices. I think you’ll like it.”
Setting aside the Ilona of it all for a moment, this is just so lovely. We love to see a prominent figure in women’s sports encouraging the next generation of young athletes to explore their options and feel confident that there’s a place for them that they’ll love and appreciate and, more importantly, be loved and appreciated.
Commenters were equally encouraging.
“Aaaannnddd rugby is in the Olympics and football isn’t!” said one. (It’s true: it was only played once, in 1932, as a demonstration sport.)
“Let’s be honest, rugby is WAY cooler than football!” another agreed.
“Annnnnnnd, you don’t have to wear a helmet,” added a third.
“Truth be told, Rugby is much tougher than football and I played football,” admitted another commenter. “#Respect.”
We don’t know if Lena is going to check out rugby — though Maher and her followers do make a compelling pitch — but we do know that she’s received encouragement from other professional athletes. In fact, Nana Olavuo — a linebacker for Kansas City Glory — invited Lena and her mom to come to what turned out to be an extraordinary game. The two shared a moment after the team’s big win, with Olavuo scooping up the little fan in celebration.
So girls can indeed play football, Lena! And also rugby! And also soccer! And also...
