Ilona Maher shares a message for girls in America as she aims to be a role model for the upcoming generation

After a four-month hiatus, Ilona Maher will be returning to the rugby field. Having signed up to play for the Bristol Bears in England, she said she is eager to inspire young American girls by showcasing rugby's diverse opportunities. She expressed her excitement about her return, and about her aim to motivate the next generation.

The 28-year-old won a bronze medal with the USA women's sevens team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She recently finished her Dancing with the Stars stint and is going back to rugby.

In a recent interview with Bristol Bears, she spoke about her arrival to play for the team in the Premiership Women's Rugby League. In the interview, she also expressed her excitement about the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in England. She also discussed her desire to inspire young girls on and off the field.

The interviewer asked her,

"You've spoken a lot in the past about inspiring young girls on and off the pitch, how much of an impact do you hope that you're going to be able to have both in the PWR and in this city?" (at 2:02).

Maher responded,

"I hope that I can continue spreading my message [...] and I'm encouraged to spread my message, and I'm encouraged to spread my message. I'm also joining the PWR because I want to show other girls in America that there's a lot of pathways to play rugby, you can go play internationally, you can go play in England for amazing clubs" (2:13).

Ilona Maher also highlighted the potential for growth and success in rugby for girls.

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Ilona Maher on joining the Bristol Bears

Ilona Maher during Rugby Sevens - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 4 - Source: Getty

Ilona Maher, returning to rugby with a new contract with Bristol Bears, shared her excitement about preparing for the 2025 Rugby World Cup. She is eager to strengthen the Bear's squad and further hone her skills in the XVs format.

After signing her contract, in December 2024, she spoke with The Guardian about the balance she aims to strike between her social media presence and her career as a female athlete. She shared her perspective on navigating the balance and the challenges it presents.

She said,

"I didn't want people to think I wasn't serious because I do social media or social media takes away my impact on the field. As a female athlete, I would love to just focus on what I am doing on the field, but if I want to live a comfortable life if I want to make real money, I have to actually do more.

"Maybe that is a female thing; sometimes, we have to do more. I wasn't willing to give up something that could be so lucrative for me; I wanted to make sure I could do both."

At the end of 2023, Ilona Maher reached out to several clubs to play in the top English league. However, her lack of 15s rugby experience since 2021 made her ineligible. She later gained eligibility through work done by the Bristol Bears and an appeals process that was supported by the Rugby Football Union.