“I recall being really proud that my dad was the coach who was so successful even if it meant being away from home a lot,” Nick Saban’s daughter Kristen had said in an interview in 2020. Growing up as the daughter of a 7x national title-winning father (the most in college football history), many such unheard-of sacrifices must not have been uncommon to Kristen. And, we have not heard of any complaints from her about that. Yet, this time, she could not stop calling out her parents for an unfulfilled dream!

As Nick Saban’s daughter, Kristen was obviously going to be mad about football. But she’s now on the brink of picking a fight with her parents with a newfound love for rugby. On July 30, she was all smiles and ready to go against her parents over her loyalty. Are you wondering what suddenly made her take a rugby route?

It seems like the USA’s new rugby sensation Ilona Maher has some contributions to this. Maher led the USA to win a bronze at the ongoing Paris Olympics. The victory is especially significant since for the first time in history the country can call themselves the Olympic medalists. Kristen, known to be a sports enthusiast, did not miss the occasion to take a playful jab to her parents.

Kristen took to her Instagram stories to make a significant announcement. “I have a big bone to pick with my parents, Why was I not raised on rugby? Why didn’t I ever play rugby? Why am I not playing it now?” she sarcastically expressed her gripe. Seems like she is frowning upon her missed chance of appearing on an Olympic stage! However, this is not the first time Kristen expressed her love for rugby and its rising star.

 Expressing her admiration for Maher, Kristen had written a few days back. “No because why is @ilonamaher my new favorite person on the internet,” while sharing a reel of Maher. In the July 27 reel, the rugby star is seen perfecting various walks. The caption read: “Practing my run out before gametime tomorrow.” But does Kirsten want to take up the sport even now? Her declaration in the latest Instagram story makes us think!

Kristen declared, “This is my sport.” Intriguingly, also came there a question from her, “Is there any women’s league in Birmingham?” Although she posted a question to her parents this time as her love for rugby did not materialize, Kristen otherwise has all the love and admiration for her parents.

Being raised in a football family, it is no surprise that her childhood was supposed to revolve around that. And it did. The earliest memory she could recall is of middle school. By that time, she was well aware of what her father was up to and why they were going to a football game every Sunday. But it has not always been easy to keep up with the changes she had to face for her father’s coaching duties.

Kristen faced one tough shake-up when she was in high school. They moved from Fort Lauderdale to Tuscaloosa as Nick Saban took up the coaching job of Alabama. For Kristen, it meant, leaving all her friends in the middle of her sophomore year. But eventually, she did not regret that. She found the people of Alabama “welcoming” as she “was blown away by the southern hospitality”. She and her gradually settled and synced in with the life there. Kristen’s life still revolved around football, as she got enrolled in the University of Alabama.

“It was a really fun four years at the university. I really cherish being able to see first-hand what all my dad accomplished while I was a student. I have some really great memories from games sitting in the student section watching amazing plays and moments,” Kristen had said in an interview in 2020. So what was her favorite moment?

“I will always remember the 2018 SEC Championship game when Jalen Hurts took over in the fourth quarter for Tua Tagovailoa in a comeback win against the Georgia Bulldogs. That is a down-to-the-wire moment I don’t think any of us Alabama fans will forget!” Kristen recalled. But amid everything football, did she miss the dad in Nick Saban?

Kristen says. no. Beyond football, Nick is just a “normal man who loves his family, The Eagles band and playing golf any chance he gets,” she claims. Not only her father, she can not say enough of her mother, Terry. She has got a best friend in her mother, who she owes her discipline and expectations in life. “She has always been my cheerleader, and I admire everything that she does for our family and for the community,” Kristen says of her mother.

Having heard all of those, we can not stop saying that football will probably remain the central part of Kristen’s life, despite her love for other sports. But that does not stop her from voicing her love for those.

Kristen has her eyes on all the leagues

When Jalen Milroe got into a gift swap with MLB star Aaron Judge, Kristen was all excited. She took to Instagram to share the moment from that day with the caption, “Bama (handshake emoji) Yankees.” Even in June, Kristen took the internet by surprise when she declared where her loyalties lay. It was the Vols vs. A&M, and Kristen supported the Orange gang. “I know where my loyalty lies in tonight’s game,” Kristen wrote while revealing her support for Vols. 

What’s even funnier is that she tried to turn Nick Saban into a Tennessee fan. “I’m turning my parents into a Morgan fan,” Kristen had mentioned. While it might be challenging to convince her father to switch his support from Alabama, it’s obviously not going to stop her.

The Alabama-Tennessee rivalry isn’t just on the field; it extends to the fans, too. For years, Saban’s Alabama has dominated most opponents, including Tennessee. However, the Vols surprised everyone in October 2022, defeating the Crimson Tide by 52-49. Now, that win wasn’t the only blow to Alabama. Country music star Morgan Wallen, a Tennessee superfan, released his song, Tennessee Fan, shortly after, adding fuel to the fire. However, she also courted trouble recently.

No matter who you are, a reality check is sometimes due. This is true for Kristen, who wouldn’t have thought celebrating her father’s achievement bothersome. On July 19, Kristen posted on Instagram that she had to take down her latest story — all because she got too carried away with the big news that the Bryant-Danning stadium will be named after Nick Saban. Kristen was apparently too early for the party. And she marred the party, as the suspense was all over.

Her fun-loving nature makes Kristen stand out. Wherever she goes, she does everything she can to cheer everyone up. While it is unsure whether her dream to play rugby will come true, we know she will always be there to praise the country’s rising sports stars.