Be A Positive Influence

I’m lucky to be an aunt to five nieces so far, and while I haven’t taught them any life-changing skills, there’s one thing I have passed down—my love for football (soccer). And honestly? That alone makes me feel like the proudest aunt in the world.

What I Needed, But Didn’t Have

When I was a kid growing up in Lebanon, football wasn’t something girls were expected or encouraged to love. The only time I saw girls play was in my village during the summer, when expats came back to visit. That was it. One game a year. And I lived for it.

For the rest of the year, I had no role models. No one in my family played, no girls at school were into it, and there was no representation in the media. I became the outlier playing alone against a wall, dreaming big without knowing if my dreams were even possible.

Back then, I didn’t even know women’s football existed. I idolized Cristiano Ronaldo and dreamed of playing for Manchester United’s men’s team, because a women’s team didn’t exist. The few women players I’d heard of—Marta and Alex Morgan—felt like distant figures, not role models I could follow, because I never even got to watch them play on TV.

I often think about how different my journey might’ve been if I had a female figure to look up to—someone real and within reach who showed me what was possible.

From Dreamer to Role Model

Now, I might be past the age of going pro, but I’ve discovered something even more meaningful: the chance to inspire the next generation.

My nieces have never seen me in a real match, but they’ve heard my stories. We’ve kicked the ball around together more times than I can count. And somewhere along the way, without forcing it, I became that person for them—the one who made football exciting, who made them feel like they could play too.

Some of them are starting to show real interest, and I can’t help but wonder: could we have a future football player in the family?

But that’s not really the point. I’m not trying to mold them into athletes. I just want to plant a seed—one of joy, movement, and confidence. I want them to grow up knowing they’re allowed to love something deeply, to try something bold, even if no one else around them is doing it.

And kids, like we all know, are sponges. They don’t need speeches they just need examples. I was inspired by watching girls play one summer. My nieces are being inspired by watching their aunt show up, speak passionately, and play with them every chance she gets.

What You Pass Down Matters

Every time my nieces fight over the football or beg me to play with them, I feel a quiet kind of fulfillment I didn’t know I was missing. It’s a reminder that even the small things we do especially around kids can leave a mark.

We don’t need to lecture or micromanage them into the future we think is right. We can just live our truth, love what we love, and let them absorb the courage it takes to go against the flow.

Whether or not my nieces pursue football doesn’t really matter. What matters is that they know they can. That someone they trust showed them a different path and made it look fun.

Plant the seed. Tell your story. And let the next generation surprise you.