Ilona Maher

Yeah, I think this experience was unlike any other. I felt so much a part of the team from the moment I was there. And when I go back to I don't know if I'll go play for Bristol Bears again. I think it was a lot to move over here to England to be two hours away from London and whatnot, because my livelihood, everything is over in America, in New York or L.A., where I do shoots and deals.

Yeah, I think this experience was unlike any other. I felt so much a part of the team from the moment I was there. And when I go back to I don't know if I'll go play for Bristol Bears again. I think it was a lot to move over here to England to be two hours away from London and whatnot, because my livelihood, everything is over in America, in New York or L.A., where I do shoots and deals.

So it's like it was very hard to manage that because we had to pass up on so many things while I was here in Bristol. But. I think this was, again, Dancing with Stars was a moment in time. This was a moment in time for me that I'll always remember.

So it's like it was very hard to manage that because we had to pass up on so many things while I was here in Bristol. But. I think this was, again, Dancing with Stars was a moment in time. This was a moment in time for me that I'll always remember.

And when I go back to Sevens, I think, again, I'll just be learning a whole new group of people and seeing how, I guess, I fit in, seeing where I fit in. I know you talk a lot about... That rugby, you're doing it almost for a passion and that, you know, you're not making, you can't really make a livelihood out of just rugby and you can go into entertainment at this point.

And when I go back to Sevens, I think, again, I'll just be learning a whole new group of people and seeing how, I guess, I fit in, seeing where I fit in. I know you talk a lot about... That rugby, you're doing it almost for a passion and that, you know, you're not making, you can't really make a livelihood out of just rugby and you can go into entertainment at this point.

Do you ever worry about no longer having that rugby, current rugby player title attached with it? I think that's one of the reasons why I came here to Bristol to play because I don't want to be just known as a content creator influencer. I'd always, I hate it when people just say that about me. Oh, she's just an Instagrammer.

Do you ever worry about no longer having that rugby, current rugby player title attached with it? I think that's one of the reasons why I came here to Bristol to play because I don't want to be just known as a content creator influencer. I'd always, I hate it when people just say that about me. Oh, she's just an Instagrammer.

Oh, she's like, one guy commented on a video of me, on a video of Bristol Bears, like, oh, were you going there to see the Instagrammer or are you going to, you know, watch the team? First of all, I'm an Olympic medalist. First of all, I'm a great rugby player, but people sometimes forget about that and just put me in that box.

Oh, she's like, one guy commented on a video of me, on a video of Bristol Bears, like, oh, were you going there to see the Instagrammer or are you going to, you know, watch the team? First of all, I'm an Olympic medalist. First of all, I'm a great rugby player, but people sometimes forget about that and just put me in that box.

And I think it's important to be known as an athlete, especially in America. Like we love athletes. We think athletes are the top of the top. We love a winner. And I'm proud to be, yeah, I'm proud to be an athlete. Something that I've always kind of really associated with my sense of self. And I want other people to know that.

And I think it's important to be known as an athlete, especially in America. Like we love athletes. We think athletes are the top of the top. We love a winner. And I'm proud to be, yeah, I'm proud to be an athlete. Something that I've always kind of really associated with my sense of self. And I want other people to know that.

So I think this was for me solidifying myself as a rugby player in what is the traditional form of rugby. it's almost like a double-edged sword of like, you love rugby so much, but you have to put your body on the line for it, but it's still rewarding to have that title of rugby player. Yeah, which is crazy that you're like an Olympic medalist in a sport, but it's rugby sevens.

So I think this was for me solidifying myself as a rugby player in what is the traditional form of rugby. it's almost like a double-edged sword of like, you love rugby so much, but you have to put your body on the line for it, but it's still rewarding to have that title of rugby player. Yeah, which is crazy that you're like an Olympic medalist in a sport, but it's rugby sevens.

So it's like the people like over here are like, okay, well that's that, whatever. Like this is, I remember being like, welcome to English rugby when you broke your nose and stuff. It's like, okay.

So it's like the people like over here are like, okay, well that's that, whatever. Like this is, I remember being like, welcome to English rugby when you broke your nose and stuff. It's like, okay.

It also kills me because you won three national championships as a 15th player. The game has changed a lot. In college, yeah. You've got some exciting things going on. You've also been really trying to up your personal game, your personal brand. And I think it's really paid off for you. I'm trying.

It also kills me because you won three national championships as a 15th player. The game has changed a lot. In college, yeah. You've got some exciting things going on. You've also been really trying to up your personal game, your personal brand. And I think it's really paid off for you. I'm trying.

I kind of, I had sort of like a, like a moment of like coming into the light where I was like, yeah, if I want to, if I want to make content and I want to travel the world doing that, I need to make content and travel the world. It's not just going to happen. You got to do it to do it. But I've always,

I kind of, I had sort of like a, like a moment of like coming into the light where I was like, yeah, if I want to, if I want to make content and I want to travel the world doing that, I need to make content and travel the world. It's not just going to happen. You got to do it to do it. But I've always,