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On the shores of Mohammedia, a little girl once struggled across the sand carrying a surfboard almost taller than she was, as waves crashed powerfully in the background. There was no coach guiding her, no prior experience, only the curiosity of a six-year-old child.
The board was not originally hers. It belonged to her older brother, who used to surf before emigrating to the United States, leaving his equipment behind at the family home near the sea. From there, Soukaina and her sisters would watch neighborhood kids surfing until one day they decided to try it themselves.
One day, Soukaina Aghouali and her sisters opened the equipment as if they had discovered a treasure and carried it down to the beach. Soukaina placed her small feet on the board and began learning alongside her sisters. Day after day, she returned to the sea, watching others, falling, and trying again. Gradually, they learned their first moves.
«My maternal grandfather played an important role in my life. He taught us how to swim from a young age, and thanks to him I learned underwater breathing techniques early on», she told Yabiladi.
The first competition… and the sea’s first harsh lesson
Just a year later, when Soukaina was seven, a neighborhood boy saw them surfing and told them about an upcoming competition in the city, encouraging them to participate. The contest was to take place at Sablette Beach, known for its powerful waves, waters where Soukaina had never trained before.
It was winter, in heavy rain and cold weather, when the young girl entered the sea for her first competition. But the waves proved stronger than she was.
«I fell into the water and almost drowned before someone pulled me out», she recalls. «At that moment, I realized that I wanted to pursue this sport professionally».
From then on, she decided to approach surfing more seriously and joined a club specializing in the sport, where she began learning its techniques and developing her skills.
When surfing becomes a lifeline
But Soukaina’s childhood was not easy outside the water. She went through a difficult period at a young age after her father lost all his money. When she was seven, he left the family and she would not see him again until she was fourteen.
During those years, her mother was left to support Soukaina and her sisters on her own, and the family faced an extremely challenging time. In those circumstances, surfing became an escape. «When I enter the water, I forget the entire world», she says. The sea became a place where she could leave her worries behind and regain her emotional balance. Surfing also helped her build resilience and a strong sense of character.
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«I earned money through competitions, which helped me continue my studies and cover my personal expenses. I also worked as a babysitter at night and on weekends, and trained children in surfing. I tried to help myself so I wouldn’t be an extra burden on my mother, despite everything she was already doing for us».
Building a career on the waves
Over time, Soukaina began competing internationally. At just thirteen, she participated in the European Championship and finished thirteenth. The following year, in 2008, she competed in the Euro Junior Championship and secured third place, an achievement that helped Morocco gain recognition within the competition.
Her sporting success continued in the years that followed. She became Moroccan champion several times in bodyboarding, was crowned runner-up in the European Championship in 2024, finished fifth in the first round of the World Bodyboarding Championship, and ranked thirteenth overall in the 2025 world standings.
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After earning her baccalaureate, Soukaina decided to dedicate herself fully to sport, becoming a coach. Today she runs a surfing club, the same one she joined as a child and where she first learned the sport. She also works as a coach at AquaGym, continues competing, and collaborates with Fast Surf School.
Despite receiving offers to pursue her career abroad, Soukaina chose to stay in Morocco. Her ambition, she says, is clear: to raise her country’s flag while continuing to live and train at home.
