“God’s Timing, Not Mine” Michaelle Stolz’s Faith-Fueled Fight for Her Rugby Dream.

At just 18 years old, Michella’e Stolz stood on unfamiliar soil in Fiji, far from her home in New Zealand, with nothing but her rugby boots, a quiet determination, and her faith in God.

Stolz was scouted while playing for the NZ Fijians at the Global Youth Sevens.

She wasn’t famous. She wasn’t expected. But she came to Fiji anyway, and now she’s with the Vodafone Fijiana 15s team.

“I didn’t know anyone,” Stolz says. “The girls already had their positions, their connections, their rhythm. I was the outsider. I just kept telling myself—I came here for a reason.”

The utility backs was one of more than a hundred girls competing in the fiercely contested FWCC Na Soko women’s tournament, a proving ground for female rugby talent in Fiji. While others had reputations or roots in the community, she had something else—faith, discipline, and a deep sense of purpose.

The youngest of her family, Stolz was raised in a tight-knit Christian home where her parents served not just as caregivers but as role models. “My parents are my biggest supporters,” she says. “They’ve always told me that God has given us all gifts. It’s up to us to use them.”

Her rugby journey began after six years playing netball. Inspired by her brother and driven by a curiosity for the game, she made the switch at 11. By 15, she was watching the Fijiana team compete at the 2022 Rugby World Cup in her home country—an experience that would ignite her dream.

“I remember the atmosphere, the fans, the pride,” she says. “Something in me just knew—I want to wear that jersey one day.”

That dream drove her to the fields of Fiji. It was there, in the face of doubt and unfamiliarity, that Stolz earned her place the hard way—starting from the bench, shuffled through multiple positions in one game (wing, fullback, first five, center), and eventually breaking into the starting squad.

She didn’t speak much. She didn’t complain. She simply worked.

“Every opportunity I got, I just put my head down and gave it my all. Whether they liked it or not, I knew I had to prove I was here for a reason.”

Her efforts didn’t go unnoticed. From a starting pool of over 100 players, Stolz was one of the few selected into the HPU team and eventually among six girls invited to train with the national Fijiana squad.

But for her, the work is far from over.

“I’m not settled,” she says honestly. “I’m still fighting. Every training, every game, I know I have to earn it again. My ultimate goal is to represent Fiji at the World Cup.”

While many of her peers idolize international stars, Stolz heroes are a little closer to home.

“I’ve always looked up to my parents first. But if I had to name someone in rugby, it would be

Renee Holmes from the Black Ferns. I saw her play fullback, and I just thought—wow.

We ended up meeting, became friends, and she told me: ‘Keep your head down. Stay humble. Do the work.’ I hold onto that.”

It’s that advice—paired with the unwavering love of her family and her trust in God—that keeps Michaelle grounded. She’s clear-eyed about the challenges in women’s rugby, especially in Fiji, where financial support is often scarce. But for her, it’s never been about money.

“I just want to represent my country. That would be the biggest achievement of my life.”

As she continues to train, push, and climb, Stolz carries not just the weight of her own dreams, but the hopes of every young girl who feels too far from the spotlight, too small to be noticed, or too new to belong.

To them, she offers simple, powerful words:

“Don’t rush it. Don’t lose hope. Trust in God’s timing—it’s always better than ours.”