Briana Scurry, better known as the first female goal scorer and African American woman to be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, is the posterchild for diversity. Her pioneering influence has inspired countless minority athletes to pursue their sporting dreams, while her speeches on diversity and inclusion teach audiences the importance of acceptance in schools, the workplace and life in general. Whether she is discussing the devasting history of racism in America, or teaching corporate teams how to succeed under pressure, a speaker like Briana will resonate with guests, leaving a lasting positive impression.
As a founding player in the Women’s United Soccer Association, Briana has been a revolutionary figure in the world of women’s sport from early on in her career. The league was the first of its kind, and allowed professional female players to be paid for their talent. Briana herself was named the 2003 Goalkeeper of the Year in the league. She later played in the debut season off the Women’s Professional Soccer, before entering international football. As a goalkeeper for the US’ women’s soccer team, Briana was a legend, breaking records and earning 173 caps for her country. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and later at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, she won two gold medals with the national team.
Throughout the 2000s, Briana played in multiple FIFA women’s World Cups, before moving to broadcasting and coaching. With a respectable career of knowledge under her belt, Briana commentated for ESPN’s 2011 Germany FIFA Women’s World Cup coverage, a testament to her razer-sharp analysis of live matches. She was alter appointed First Assistant Coach of the Washington Spirit, and the Technical Advisor of the Spirit Academy programs. When she is not on the pitch or in the studio, Briana’s advocacy has improved the lives of countless athletes. Her first-hand experience with concussion drives her Concussion Awareness work, including testifying before Congress, while her partnership with America Scores has helped over 8,000 students have better access to sport.
Whether she is winning Olympic medals or improving inclusion in sport, Briana is a force of positive change. Her previous speaking engagements, for the likes of Goldman Sachs and US Youth Soccer, have discussed such topics as diversity, peak performance and issues faced by the LGBT+ community. As one of the first LGBT players to dominate the international stage, Briana’s victories mean more than first place finishes, they are dismantling the stereotypes surrounding women, African Americans and the LGBT+ community. When booked for events, Briana teaches corporate audiences how to make their workplace more inclusive.
How to hire Briana Scurry
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Briana Scurry for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
Briana's official speaking topics are listed below.
Overcoming Obstacles – Faced with injury and disappointment, Briana has had to overcome several challenges on her journey to becoming a double Olympic gold medalist. The legendary goalkeeper is a pioneer of diversity, and has defied expectation both on and off of the pitch. Hear her secrets to overcoming obstacles when you book Briana for your event.
Teambuilding – The success of a football club is credited to the quality of their teamwork. This has given Briana a valuable insight into high-performance teams, and the steps needed to achieve optimum communication, leadership and interpersonal relationships. Briana teaches corporate audiences the secrets to uniting their team under a common goal.
Diversity & Minority Issues – As a member of the LGBT+ community, and an African American woman, Briana has faced discrimination on all sides. This has given her a unique personal insight into the issues faced by minorities, a perspective that will open audience’s eyes to a struggle they may not be familiar with – and could have unconsciously contributed to. As a diversity speaker, Briana shows corporate audiences the power of inclusion.
Setting & Achieving Goals – In the “beautiful game”, Briana is no stranger to goals; both literally and figuratively. Her valuable understanding of setting reasonable, yet challenging goals, entices audiences, inspiring them to push their own personal and professional potential. A speaker like Briana will set audiences on a trajectory for success.
"True Colors hosts the largest LGBT youth conference in the country. Briana’s story, which she shared at a keynote session, was an inspiration to youth and adult attendees, alike. We appreciated her candor, her realness and her ability to relate not only to such a large audience, but one-on-one as youth lined up to speak with her after." - Robin McHaelen, Executive Director of True Colors
"Briana Scurry is a fascinating speaker whose portrayals of her world class experiences both on and off the field captivate the audience. She makes her presentations relevant to the listeners." - Mary Jane Bender, Executive Director of Illinois Youth Soccer Association
"Briana Scurry has served as an incredible role model for youth in our after-school program, particularly girls. Briana has a special ability to relate to and connect with soccer players of all ages and experience levels and has made an indelible impact on those she’s taught and spoken to. We couldn’t be more thankful to Briana for her investment in DC SCORES and our poet-athletes!" - Jake Lloyd, Communications Director, DC SCORES
"From her beginnings as the youngest of nine growing up playing soccer in Minnesota through her unforgettable Olympic goal medal and World Cup performances and into the ongoing challenges of life after a career ending concussion, Briana Scurry’s story is as moving as it is extraordinary. Her talk, delivered with all the raw and intense emotion of a personal conversation between close friends, takes you on a journey from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, and back again. With a message of love, hope, and perseverance, Briana Scurry’s Keynote will delight, encourage, and inspire your audience and give them something to talk about for years to come." - Bryan Thomas Pugh, Executive Director of Brain Injury Association of Maryland
"Bri Scurry is an amazing woman and her life story and experiences resonate deeply with audiences. From corporate executives, to policy wonks, to women who idolized the 1999 team, to young girls who have heard the ’99 stories, she educates, motivates and inspires. Bri is outstanding at connecting with audiences honestly and personally — she always builds in a lot of time to answer questions and have a dialogue. Every time I hear her speak, I am thrilled to see that everyone in the room is energized not only because she’s a soccer legend, but also because she’s a true American role model." - Holly O’Donnell, Executive Director, America SCORES
"Briana Scurry is a passionate, enthusiastic, and effective speaker with a unique ability to draw an audience in and leave a lasting impression. The U.S. Soccer Foundation is proud to work with Briana. This past year, Briana attended and spoke at a few of our events that featured some of our largest partners. Not only did she give remarks, but she stayed and interacted with our guests, which helped us continue to solidify and grow our relationships. We look forward to working with Briana in the future and growing our impact nationwide – together." - Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation
- 2017 - Inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame
- 2011 - Named in the inaugural class of the Anoka Highschool Hall of Fame
- 2004 - Won a second gold medal at the Athens Olympics
- 2003 - Named WUSA Goalkeeper of the Year
- 2001 - Played in the first season of the Women's United Soccer Association, the first women's league in the world where all the players were paid professionally
- 1999 - Named Best Goalkeeper at the World Cup
- 1999 - Won the World Cup
- 1996 - Won a gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics
- Capped 173 times by the US National Team
