By: Heather Engellis

 

As Darya Kaboli- Nejad rounds third base for home plate, not only is she making a statement for her team by scoring, she says she is making a statement for her family as well: do not doubt women. For many, sports open doors that allow individuals to express themselves freely. For others, in countries like Iran, this is not the case. Playing sports, instead, is considered a sin for women.

Darya Kaboli-Nejad was a walk on softball player at the University of Oregon until the fall of her sophomore year. What she was able to do would not have been possible if her parents had not decided to flee Iran in the year’s prior. Iran is a country in favor of men, a country that forces women to navigate through severe restrictions on what many would consider basic human rights.

Her parents grew up before the Iranian revolution. At the time, it was a culture that felt women were inferior to men. Women faced serious discrimination when it came to sports. In fact, they were forbidden to attend men’s sporting events. According to Darya’s mother, Azita Soraya, playing sports was not even a thought.

Shortly after Darya’s parents got married, they made the decision to come to America in hopes of a better life and greater opportunities, not only for themselves but their children as well. “As I was growing up in American culture and learning; so were my parents. I remember all my friends were playing sports and one day I just asked my mom if I could and she got extremely excited,” said Darya. She took advantage of an opportunity that her mother never had. Softball was a way for her to be herself and feel comfortable in her own skin.

It was not until fall of Darya’s sophomore year that she realized she had done what her family called the “unimaginable.” After a long and grueling workout, Darya’s coach asked her to stay after practice for a short meeting. In that meeting, Darya was informed that all her hard work and determination had not gone unnoticed: it had earned her a scholarship to Oregon. She said, “It was one of the biggest accomplishments for my family. It wasn’t just an accomplishment for me. My whole family took pride in it. It’s still a little hard for my dad to show how proud he is but I know he is.” This moment has shaped who she is, and why she plays softball. She says it means more to her than just a game; it is a statement for all women.

While recent political issues prevent Darya from going to Iran now, she says her goal is to make it there in the near future. She wants to help the Iranian women get involved in sports because she believes women have just as much of a right to play sports as men do. Women are just as competitive and portray just as many skills to engage in sports as men do.