One hundred articles later and seeing the byline “Rahaf Abumansour, Daily Bruin staff” still feels surreal.
Writing a 30 column to commemorate my time at a place that has meant so much to me feels just as unreal – a full-circle moment in the best way.
My sophomore year self didn’t really think about writing journalism – though I’ve always been a huge sports fan. As a sociology and anthropology student, I’ve always recognized the potential of sports to bring people together. Sports have the power to instill meaningful ideas like “collective effervescence” – the increased emotional energy and sense of community people feel during shared events – in us. As a Sports journalist, I was provided with a fresh perspective on that dynamic, allowing me to write and comprehend such a concept from a different point of view.
It doesn’t matter what language you speak, watching a sport you love brings people together in ways nothing else can.
Though I’ve always been a passionate fan, my sports knowledge was mostly limited to local soccer stars like Abdulelah Al-Amri, Saleh Al-Shehri, Saad Al-Mousa and Mohammed Noor, to name a few. On the international stage, Rafael Nadal and Stephen Curry were among the greats that I knew of and followed.
I wasn’t familiar with many of the sports I ended up covering for the newspaper, but I came in curious and eager to learn.
I was nervous when I first applied to the Daily Bruin. I wasn’t sure I could translate the emotions I felt while watching sports into stories that others could read and connect with. My Daily Bruin interview was a blur. What stood out most was me dramatically overselling my love for dogs – which isn’t even that true – and former Daily Bruin editor Sam Settleman asking about my favorite soccer team back home, Al-Ittihad Club. I still remember the shock that I felt upon receiving the email saying I’d been accepted as a staffer.
My beginnings with the paper were nerve-wracking. I still remember my first article – a track and field wrap on the Dr. Sander Invitational. It felt surreal. Being able to talk to people and tell actual stories about real athletes came with a sense of responsibility that I was proud to carry. As the seasons went on, my confidence grew and my writing started to feel like it was part of something much bigger than just the words on a page.
My knowledge of global stars soon expanded into a deep appreciation for UCLA athletes – names like Lilly Reale, Anna Dodson, Lauren Steele and many others immersed me in UCLA sports culture; covering women’s athletics became both a privilege and a passion of mine.
At first, I thought I was just lucky to write for Daily Bruin Sports. But in hindsight, I was even luckier to help bring women’s stories to life – stories that too often go untold in the world of sports media.
As a Saudi woman, I knew I wanted to represent my country with pride. Growing up a huge sports fan, I always read sports journalism that centered around men. I couldn’t help but wonder, where are the stories about women?
What began as a coincidence – covering women’s sports – quickly became a milestone in my journalism journey. From previews and wraps to predictions and features, honoring women in sports revealed itself as my true calling.
My time at the paper also gave me a new admiration for sports I never imagined I’d understand, like water polo. It once felt foreign to me, but three years later, I look back proudly on the work I’ve done covering it.
Beyond writing, this experience helped me grow as a person. As an anthropology student, I’ve always believed in empathy, and I’ve never felt that more deeply than during my time with the paper.
Any staffer will tell you that it takes a village to publish a paper, just like any other sport. To have contributed to something bigger than myself and proudly displayed my identity as a Saudi woman on the Daily Bruin map, I feel immensely honored to have had even a small part in that process.
As I write this, I feel overwhelmed to end my time at the paper and see my byline for the last time.
Abumansour was Sports staff 2024-2025 and an Arts and Sports contributor 2023-2024.
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