Yi Yi Yeap, class of 2017, is a Film and New Media and Social Research and Public Policy double major. Besides shooting her capstone film, Thirty, which was screened last week, she has spent her senior year on the Student Government executive board as the senior class representative. She has played football throughout her time at NYUAD.

Nikolaj Nielsen, class of 2018, is a Literature major. Currently studying away at NYU New York, he will return to Abu Dhabi in the fall, where he will start a sports section in The Gazelle, which would be the lovechild of his two interests. He too has played football throughout his time at NYUAD.

This piece first began as a series of conversations between the two of us about what football meant to us, with the perspective of a senior about to graduate, and a junior studying abroad. As we interviewed the various members of the football team, both young and old, we realised that there was so much more to the football team than just the sport. Ingrained in us was a sense of community and loyalty that we could not attribute to our previous years of playing football. These were attributes that were the result of being part of the football family in NYUAD. We reflect on the seven interviews with a conversation about the role of football in a greater context.

####Nielsen: During last week's on-campus futsal tournament, NYUAD entered the only women's team in the tournament. What do you think the significance of that move was, and how were you received by non-NYUAD participants? Yeap: We were told that only one school had decided to enter the women's side of the tournament, and thus we were straight into the championship game. When we arrived at the courts on Saturday, we were told that in fact, the school did not show up. Coach asked us if we wanted to play the match anyways, but against each other. The match was fun and still competitive. The audience, including guys from NYUAD and from other schools were watching and cheering. At the end of the match, Coach pulled us aside to explain to us why he had wanted to continue with the match. He wanted to show that not only is there the opportunity for women to play, but that women are genuinely interested in playing football.

####Nielsen: How, if at all, might [Abu Dhabi Inter-University Sports League] sports teams like the football team you played on usher in greater gender equality across college campuses? Yeap: We have already seen that there is no shortage of interest amongst women for football. There are seven teams in the ladies' side of ADISL football. By playing on the football team in the ADISL league, we are showing both women and men that it is normal for women to show interest in and to want to play football. That football is not a male sport. That sport is not a male activity. At the very foundation of it, it's about opportunities. Opportunities have to be available for women to not just know about football, but to also be able to participate, whether it is in the audience as a fan or in the team as a player.

####Nielsen: You'll be graduating this May. In retrospect, what are your fondest memories from your time as an NYUAD footballer? Yeap: So many memories come to mind! I could talk about last fall’s amazing trip to Jordan for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, but instead, let me talk about a place that not many students have actually seen, but which played a big role in my life: Al Muna—that’s where it all began. I was a nervous freshman who had played football in high school, and though I loved the sport, I wasn't sure how I would fit in the team. I had been in my high school for six years. I was soccer captain in my final year. But I wasn't sure how that would change in coming here.

The field was so small, only two teams could play at a time and everyone else would sit on the sidelines — not that there was much space to sit down. Even though it was a walk away, people would come out just to watch people play. That's what we used to do on a Thursday night. I remember being super intimidated by all the upperclassmen. It was mostly men and there were only about three to four women there, and I was one of the few freshmen there. But there were all so welcoming and made me feel so comfortable, even though I was a novice. This was the first time I ever played football with guys.

####Yeap: You talk about dismantling the macho culture that often surrounds a sports team. How do you think we can do that at NYUAD? Nielsen: The support of the NYUAD Athletics department has helped create a healthier culture on our sports teams, and the players on our sports teams have likewise played a critical role in making the team a great place to be. Take an example dear to my heart: In the fall semester of my sophomore year, students had the chance to swap their regular cleat laces for rainbow ones to show their support for a campaign for inclusiveness in sports. A large number of players put on those laces, which sent a strong message about the kinds of values we stand for at NYUAD, and which signaled to the rest of the student body that we take our commitments as representatives of NYUAD seriously. Each time an NYUAD player walks on the field wearing rainbow laces, I'm reminded of why I chose to play on this team.

####Yeap: If the attitudes stem from cultural influences, do you think that there is anything that can be done on an individual-level or does it have to be a societal change? Nielsen: We navigate the fact of being a U.S.-style institution based in the UAE every day; that balancing act is something we engage in as a sports team as well. To that point, I think NYUAD's sports teams have a uniquely important role to play as an external face of our institution. Every time we face an opposing side, we reduce the perceived distance between our college and other universities in Abu Dhabi. Sports generally offers a chance to have meaningful connections with people with whom you would otherwise never have the chance to interact, so if we project the values NYUAD codes for when we step onto the field, we signal to other universities the direction we hope to see the culture and ethos of ADISL sports evolve.

####Nielsen: Finally, do you have any words of wisdom, any cautions, any hopes for the people who will soon follow after you on the team you're leaving behind? Yeap: Just because we — the class of 2017 — are no longer sweating next to you in training, doesn't mean that we are not with you in spirit. I will think of you all every time I pass a park and see a group of people playing football, or whenever I watch the El Clasico on TV. This team, and this school, will always hold a special place in my heart. Everyone always tells me that college is the best time of your life. I can't say that I've had many life experiences since I'm only 22, but I can say that these past four years have been life-changing.

I hope that the spirit of community and family continues. I hope the women's and men's teams are as comfortable with each other as they are within their respective teams. I hope that I can come back in 20 years and see the legacy that we've left behind.

####Yeap: What are your goals for your final year when you return to Abu Dhabi? Nielsen: The Gazelle will launch a sports section in the fall, which I hope will be successful. Many people on this campus are passionate about sports; I hope this section will be a place where people can talk about the unique community they have on their respective teams, or as enthusiasts who don't necessarily play on a school team. We have a unique community here at NYUAD, and it's on us to further the development of our college as an academic, extracurricular and in all other respects extraordinary space that brings people together in diverse ways.