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Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're remembering

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Speaker 1: the time when college me went to an after party

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Speaker 1: at most Stef's mansion in LA and you couldn't tell

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Speaker 1: me shit for weeks. I am urging the youngsters out

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Speaker 1: there to pull up some black star tunes. Start with respiration,

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Speaker 1: with common good stuff. Don't worry, this wreck will make

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Speaker 1: sense after today's interview. It's Friday, September twenty sixth, Happy Friday. Places.

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Speaker 1: On today's show, we'll be talking with North Carolina Courage

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Speaker 1: midfielder and Black Women's Player Collective board member Brianna Pinto

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Speaker 1: about the bwpc's upcoming first of its kind showcase for

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Speaker 1: high school players, her team's push to make the NWSL postseason,

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Speaker 1: and her desire to one day work for FIFA. You

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Speaker 1: will not only be impressed by Brianna, you might start

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Speaker 1: to doubt what the hell you're doing with your own life.

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Speaker 1: Plus survey says the soccer industry has some work to do.

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Speaker 1: The WNBA semifinals continue tonight, and some really cute softball

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Speaker 1: engage shit. It's all coming up right after this Welcome

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Speaker 1: back slices. Here's what you need to know today in hoops.

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Speaker 1: The WNBA Semifinals continue tonight. Each series is tied to

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Speaker 1: a game apiece, and both shift locations for Game three,

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Speaker 1: moving to the lower seeds home court. The Indiana Fever

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Speaker 1: will host the Las Vegas Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and

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Speaker 1: the Phoenix Mercury will host the Minnesota Links at PHX Arena.

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Speaker 1: Vegas and Indie tipoff first at seven thirty pm Eastern,

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Speaker 1: followed by the Mark and the Links at nine thirty Eastern,

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Speaker 1: both on ESPN two. Indiana and Phoenix will each host

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Speaker 1: Game fours on Sunday as well. Tip Offs are at

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Speaker 1: three pm Eastern and eight pm Eastern, respectively. And you

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Speaker 1: remember we told you that the Jonas Brothers concert was

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Speaker 1: supposed to be Sunday night in Phoenix but has now

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Speaker 1: been rescheduled for Monday to accommodate the Mercury. Well, since

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Speaker 1: the move, there's been some real beef between Joe Brose

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Speaker 1: fans and WNBA fans on social media. We'll link to

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Speaker 1: a story about it by meganel Hall in the show notes. Yall,

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Speaker 1: can't we just get along? More? W New York Liberty

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Speaker 1: General Manager Jonathan Colb spoke to reporters in an exit

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Speaker 1: interview on Thursday morning, clarifying some of the reasoning behind

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Speaker 1: not renewing head coach Sandy Brondello's contract, Colb said, quote,

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Speaker 1: very serious thought and consideration was made to retaining Sandy,

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Speaker 1: but ultimately we determined that evolution and innovation is what

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Speaker 1: is needed at this time end quote. Brondelo is the

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Speaker 1: first coach in league history to be let go the

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Speaker 1: season after winning a championship, but Cold told the press quote,

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Speaker 1: You're somewhat playing with fire if you make decisions based

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Speaker 1: on the past. I think our organization has always taken

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Speaker 1: pride in being innovative and looking forward and being future

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Speaker 1: oriented and process based. End quote. He also said he

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Speaker 1: has the utmost confidence that the team stars Brianna Stewart,

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Speaker 1: Sabrina Yonescu, and John Qwell Jones, who are all free

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Speaker 1: agents in twenty twenty six, will want to return to

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Speaker 1: college hoops. You may remember we told you back in

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Speaker 1: August that Tennessee's senior guard Ruby Whitehorn had been charged

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Speaker 1: with aggravated burglary and domestic assault. Now those charges were

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Speaker 1: lowered to misdemeanors of vandalism and aggravated criminal trespass, and

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Speaker 1: she is now back as a full participant with the team.

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Speaker 1: Head coach Kim Caldwell initially placed Whitehorn on an indefinite

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Speaker 1: suspension during the legal matter, and told the Daily Beacon

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Speaker 1: student newspaper about the decision to bring her back earlier

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Speaker 1: this week. Quote, it's not an ideal situation. It's not

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Speaker 1: a situation that reflects our program the way we want

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Speaker 1: it to. There's a strong legacy here and it did

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Speaker 1: not withhold the name of the brand. She later continued, quote,

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Speaker 1: it's also my job to coach my players. My players

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Speaker 1: are young people, and they make mistakes. We gave her

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Speaker 1: a penalty that was pretty severe, and if she batted

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Speaker 1: an eye to that, or didn't want to do that,

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Speaker 1: or wasn't going to bend over backwards to make up

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Speaker 1: for what she did to the brand of this program

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Speaker 1: by failing to meet the standard, then we were going

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Speaker 1: to move on. End quote. Whitehorn was a key piece

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Speaker 1: of the Tennessee team last season, averaging eleven point six

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Speaker 1: points per game to Soccer. We've got three games on

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Speaker 1: the schedule tonight and both of the co leaders of

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Speaker 1: the NWSL Golden Boot race will be in action trying

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Speaker 1: to add to their totals. First, Esterere Gonzales will look

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Speaker 1: to shine in a critical matchup between Gotham FC and

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Speaker 1: the Portland Thorns, teams that sit at three and four

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Speaker 1: in the NWSL table. That matchup begins at eight pm

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Speaker 1: Eastern on NWSL Plus. Also at eight Eastern, co Golden

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Speaker 1: Boot leader Temwshewingo will look to stay hot as her

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Speaker 1: Kansas City current hosts The Last Place Chicago Stars on

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Speaker 1: Prime Video. Chicago will be playing to keep its postseason

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Speaker 1: hopes alive. They'll be eliminated from playoff contention with a

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Speaker 1: draw or a loss. Then at ten thirty Eastern, it's

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Speaker 1: the Orlando Pride hosting the San Diego Wave back on

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Speaker 1: NWSL Plus and streaming on Paramount Plus. More games Saturday

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Speaker 1: and Sunday two, of course, so a link to the

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Speaker 1: full NWSL schedule in our show notes. More soccer. As

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Speaker 1: I mentioned in the show intro, the Black Women's Player Collective,

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Speaker 1: a nonprofit organization founded by black NWSL players, announced this

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Speaker 1: week it will co host a showcase in November featuring

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Speaker 1: two twenty to thirty of the best black high school

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Speaker 1: soccer players in the country. The event, officially called the

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Speaker 1: Next Wave National showcase will be held in Texas in

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Speaker 1: partnership with All State and Black Star Media. We'll have

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Speaker 1: way more on this event and what inspired it later

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Speaker 1: in the show, when we're joined by Brianna Pinto. Sticking

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Speaker 1: with soccer, Women in Football, a network of professionals who

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Speaker 1: work in the global game published an industry workforce survey

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Speaker 1: on Wednesday. The survey had eight hundred sixty seven respondents,

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Speaker 1: seven hundred and fifty nine women, one hundred men, and

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Speaker 1: eight non binary people, and twelve percent were from underrepresented

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Speaker 1: ethnic groups. WIF chief executive Von Harrison rightfully called the

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Speaker 1: results of the survey quote unquote bleak. Seventy eight percent

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Speaker 1: of respondents experienced discrimination based on gender in their workplace,

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Speaker 1: over half faced sexism or misogyny, sixty three and a

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Speaker 1: half percent of women experienced sexist banter or jokes, and

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Speaker 1: over fifty six percent said no action was taken when

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Speaker 1: they reported gender based discrimination in the workplace. And there's

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Speaker 1: plenty more. We'll link to an athletic stree worry about

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Speaker 1: the survey results in our show notes. Finally, in rugby

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Speaker 1: world number one England and world number two Canada, we'll

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Speaker 1: duel it out in the Women's Rugby World Cup Final

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Speaker 1: on Saturday. The Brits have won all thirty two test

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Speaker 1: matches aka international contests since the last World Cup final,

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Speaker 1: their heartbreaking loss to New Zealand in twenty twenty two.

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Speaker 1: As for Team Canada, despite being one of the best

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Speaker 1: in the world, they had to crowdfund their way to

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Speaker 1: this World Cup, successfully raising nearly a million Canadian dollars

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Speaker 1: with a campaign called Mission Win Rugby World Cup twenty

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Speaker 1: twenty five. Well, their one went away from making that

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Speaker 1: mission a reality. Kickoff is at eleven am Eastern on

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Speaker 1: Saturday at Alion Stadium in Twickenham, England, with a sellout

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Speaker 1: crowd of eighty two thousand expected. We got to take

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Speaker 1: a quick break. When we come back, we're kicking it

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Speaker 1: around with Breonna Pinto sit Tight joining us now. She's

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Speaker 1: a midfielder for the North Carolina Courage and a board

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Speaker 1: member for the Black Women's Player Collective. A Durham, North

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Speaker 1: Carolina native who played her college soccer for the UNC

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Speaker 1: tar Heels. She was a first team All American her

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Speaker 1: sophomore in junior seasons before entering the NWSL draft. She

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Speaker 1: was selected third overall by Gotham FC. And then was

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Speaker 1: traded to the Courage. At the end of that first season,

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Speaker 1: the US Soccer Young Female Player of the Year. In

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Speaker 1: twenty nineteen, she founded the Pinto Football Foundation, which invests

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Speaker 1: in grassroots programs designed to grow the game of football

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Speaker 1: in underserved communities and strives to minimizetructural and financial barriers

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Speaker 1: to participation. She hikes, she golfs, She writes ATVs and

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Speaker 1: camels in Dubai. Try to keep up. It's Brianna Pinto. Hi, Brianta, Hi,

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Speaker 1: how are you? I'm good? Thanks so much for joining us.

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Speaker 1: I'm so excited to talk about this big event coming up,

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Speaker 1: but I want to chat a little bit about your

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Speaker 1: career first, because I was reading about how your college coach,

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Speaker 1: the legendary Ensindorans at UNC, also recruited your dad for

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Speaker 1: the tar Heels back when he was coaching on the

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Speaker 1: men's side. Do you have any good stories from that

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Speaker 1: father daughter legacy there and that connection to Anson?

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Speaker 2: Absolutely so. There were some pickup games that were called noonball.

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Speaker 2: Was actually covered in the New York Times several years ago.

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Speaker 2: But noon Ball's kind of how I learned to play

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Speaker 2: and where I fell in love with the game, but

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Speaker 2: it was former professional athletes that played for the university

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Speaker 2: and then college coaches that would get together in afternoons

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Speaker 2: during weekdays and play together. So long after my dad's

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Speaker 2: playing days at Carolina, he and Anson rekindled their relationship

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Speaker 2: and we talked about my dream. So I was there

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Speaker 2: at like five years old, just watching them all play

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Speaker 2: and learning the tactical aspects of what they were trying

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Speaker 2: to do on the field, and I told Anson that

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Speaker 2: I was going to play for Carolina one day. So,

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Speaker 2: you know, they spoke belief into me, and I continue

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Speaker 2: to develop at the youth level, and my dad and

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Speaker 2: my mom really poured into my dreams, both on the

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Speaker 2: field and off, and I was incredibly fortunate to be

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Speaker 2: able to achieve a lifelong dream. So it was super

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Speaker 2: cool just that we shared a coach and someone who's

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Speaker 2: been so pivotal in the women's game. So just the

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Speaker 2: fact that Anson recruited my dad and then myself was

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Speaker 2: really awesome.

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Speaker 1: So you've been a part of the US national team

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Speaker 1: program since twelve. You played for the U seventeen and

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Speaker 1: you twenty teams and got a call up to the

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Speaker 1: senior national team for the she Beliefs Cup in twenty

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Speaker 1: seventeen when you were just sixteen years old. What parts

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Speaker 1: of your game are you still looking to improve as you,

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Speaker 1: I assume, push for another call up.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I would love to get to the back to

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Speaker 2: the national team. I think that's always been the lifelong

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Speaker 2: dream to play in a World Cup and Olympics. I

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Speaker 2: want to continue to create in score goals, but on

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Speaker 2: a regular basis, I want to light up the NWS

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Speaker 2: cell and have a complete season and do that over time.

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Speaker 2: I think it's the consistency that I'm chasing. But I

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Speaker 2: also want to be dominant on both sides of the ball,

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Speaker 2: so defensively, I want to make sure that nobody can

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Speaker 2: get through me. I've added a little bit of versatility

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Speaker 2: to my game in the last few years. I've been

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Speaker 2: playing forward recently, and that's been because I'm seeing a

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Speaker 2: new part of the game and being asked to develop

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Speaker 2: different skills. So I always love being stretched, and I'm

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Speaker 2: hoping that I can continue to develop well into my

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Speaker 2: twenties so that I could eventually reach the US women's

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Speaker 2: national team again.

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Speaker 1: Yeah. You know, before you even went pro, I think

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Speaker 1: you made it clear that you have big dreams on

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Speaker 1: the pitch, but you also want to make a big

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Speaker 1: difference off of it. In October of twenty twenty, you

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Speaker 1: joined four other young athletes you called yourselves Next Jen United,

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Speaker 1: and you ran for and won seats on the US

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Speaker 1: Soccer Federation's twenty person Athlete Council. You wanted to diversify

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Speaker 1: the federation's leadership, both in age and culture. So tell

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Speaker 1: me how you got that idea and organized to make

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Speaker 1: it happen and what did you see missing that you

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Speaker 1: wanted to fill in.

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Speaker 2: So, actually, the most transformational experience in my soccer career

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Speaker 2: was actually off the field. I had the opportunity to

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Speaker 2: be the US Youth representative for US Soccer at the

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Speaker 2: sixty eight FIFA Congress where we were advocating for the

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Speaker 2: hosting rights to the twenty twenty six fef for World

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Speaker 2: Cup with the United Big Committee. And when I was

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Speaker 2: getting the speech in Moscow, Russia, I looked around the

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Speaker 2: room in the governing bodies of FIFA and it didn't

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Speaker 2: reflect all the people that played soccer globally. So using

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Speaker 2: that experience in the relationship that I made during that time,

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Speaker 2: I wanted to know what I could do in my

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Speaker 2: own community and with our within our own federation to

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Speaker 2: just bring more voices to governance, and it was an

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Speaker 2: early passion of mine thanks to that opportunity, and I

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Speaker 2: got together with for other athletes who sort of checked

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Speaker 2: the boxes in terms of diversity of age ability because

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Speaker 2: we had an extended national team, player race, geographic location,

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Speaker 2: and we really wanted to make sure we bring We

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Speaker 2: brought new voices and ideas to the Athlete Council and

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Speaker 2: we're really proud of where it is today. I've been

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Speaker 2: serving for five years now, so just to see how

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Speaker 2: quickly time has gone by and how much US Soccer

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Speaker 2: has done for the landscape of the sport over the

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Speaker 2: last few years is incredible, and I'm really thankful just

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Speaker 2: for the opportunity to continue to serve, because I do

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Speaker 2: want to lead the game better than I found it

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Speaker 2: and make sure that young kids like me coming up

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Speaker 2: in the game have a place where they're well respected

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Speaker 2: and have all the resources for success. So governance is

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Speaker 2: something I want to continue well after my playing days

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Speaker 2: are over. I want to play as long as I

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Speaker 2: possibly can, but I would eventually like to work for

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Speaker 2: FIFA and continue to advance the access to the sport.

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Speaker 1: That's incredible, and boy do they need you. I think

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Speaker 1: right now, if you wanted to do both at once,

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Speaker 1: I would already be voting for your voice within FIFA

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Speaker 1: to represent the voices that are often not spoken up

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Speaker 1: for there. That's incredible. You were also one of five

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Speaker 1: active NWSL players to represent the Players Association last year

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Speaker 1: and the final negotiations for the new CBA, and I

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Speaker 1: think this history, even as young as you are, of

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Speaker 1: being an organizer, a leader, a voice for the athlete,

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Speaker 1: really leads organically into your role with the All State

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Speaker 1: Next Wave National Showcase, which I'm so excited to talk about.

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Speaker 1: This event is presented with Black Star and the Black

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Speaker 1: Women's Player Collective. So first tell us about those two organizations.

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Speaker 2: Yeah. So, the BWPC is an organization that I joined

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Speaker 2: during my rookie season in twenty twenty one, and we

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Speaker 2: were focusing on making sure there's more spaces for black

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Speaker 2: women in our sport. Simply put, like, growing up, I

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Speaker 2: didn't see a ton of people looking like me. One

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Speaker 2: of the people that I sort of looked up to

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Speaker 2: that was both part of UNC and then UNC or

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Speaker 2: in the US women's national team was Crystal Dunn, and

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Speaker 2: she played a pivotal role in making the BWPC happen. So,

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Speaker 2: you know, now being part of the board and just

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Speaker 2: advocating for more resources in our sport and making sure

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Speaker 2: that we're using our platform for good has been incredibly special.

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Speaker 2: So we're really looking forward to this All State Next

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Speaker 2: Wave National Showcase, And basically, it'll be an opportunity for

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Speaker 2: twenty to thirty girls, black girls that are top performing

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Speaker 2: in the nation to come spend a weekend playing games

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Speaker 2: but also developing ocasionally but also mental health resources and nutrition,

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Speaker 2: college prep sessions, and then they'll also be exposed to coaches, scouts, agents,

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Speaker 2: things like that, and we'll talk about what our experience

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Speaker 2: was like going from East to pro and the challenges

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Speaker 2: that we faced along the way. But we're really excited

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Speaker 2: to partner with Blackstar and All State because there are

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Speaker 2: organizations that have similar values. Black Stars is really passionate

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Speaker 2: about being the intersection between media and entertainment but also

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Speaker 2: sport within the black community, and they're going to do

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Speaker 2: a great job with a storytelling element of it making

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Speaker 2: sure that the impact is shared globally.

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Speaker 1: Okay, so call me out if I'm a more on here.

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Speaker 1: But when I think a blackstore, I think of like

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Speaker 1: teleb quality. Is this the same Blackstar?

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Speaker 2: I just know a Blackstar is an organization that is

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Speaker 2: onto like social media and Instagram. I'm not familiar with

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Speaker 2: who you just suggested.

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Speaker 1: Oh come on, okay, so Blackstar is like a hip

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Speaker 1: hop duo. It's it's gosh, I forget it's I think

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Speaker 1: it's most Deaf who. I don't know if he still

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Speaker 1: goes by most Deaf and tilib quality. But that's the

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Speaker 1: only black Star I've ever heard of. So that's why

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Speaker 1: I was like, are they getting involved? That's pretty baller.

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Speaker 1: So there's a different black Star that is culture and

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Speaker 1: sports and the black community online.

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Speaker 2: Yes, correct?

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Speaker 1: Okay, Well, if you wanted synergy, you could invite black

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Speaker 1: Star to perform at the event.

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Speaker 2: That'd be very cool. I'll definitely have to look into it.

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Speaker 2: I mean again, I don't know. I don't know the

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Speaker 2: band and the organization, so I'll have to look more

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Speaker 2: into that.

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Speaker 1: All right, Well, we're going to get you some musical history, Brianna.

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Speaker 1: I know you're busy. It sounds like you're busy doing

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Speaker 1: lots of great things, but we are going to get

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Speaker 1: you up on most deaf and tilib quality.

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Speaker 2: Were they around before two thousand.

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Speaker 1: Yes, yes they were. They are before your time, but

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Speaker 1: I guarantee if you listen to some of their music

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Speaker 1: you would recognize it. So they've stood the test of time. Okay, So,

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Speaker 1: like you said, this is an incredible opportunity for black

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Speaker 1: female soccer players to get spotlighted, not just to participate

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Speaker 1: in front of coaches and scouts and agents, but also

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Speaker 1: to get some of that programming that they might not

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Speaker 1: be getting elsewhere. What do you really want to make

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Speaker 1: sure that these players leave with beyond the opportunity to

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Speaker 1: showcase their skills.

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Speaker 2: I want them to have a sense of community. I

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Speaker 2: think sport has a beautiful way of uniting people from

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Speaker 2: diverse backgrounds and different walks of life. And some of

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Speaker 2: my favorite experiences with soccer just the people I've gotten

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Speaker 2: to meet. So just to have this event over the

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Speaker 2: course of a few days and bringing so many people

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Speaker 2: who are leaders and change makers in our sport and

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Speaker 2: looking to diversify the women's landscape of the game is

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Speaker 2: really really special. So I just hope that the girls

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Speaker 2: come with an attitude to learn, come ready to socialize

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Speaker 2: with new people, come ready to compete, of course, because

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Speaker 2: we do want the quality on the field to be

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Speaker 2: top notch. But I just hope that they leave with

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Speaker 2: an appreciation that they matter in the sport and that

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Speaker 2: we see them and we just value all their individuality

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Speaker 2: that makes them special. So again, we want to make

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Speaker 2: sure that they have the resources to thrive at high

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Speaker 2: school level, the college level, and eventually the pro level,

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Speaker 2: and we want to create more pathways for young black

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Speaker 2: girls to reach.

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Speaker 1: The end of yousl November twenty second to twenty fifth,

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Speaker 1: it's going to be at Prairie View A and M University,

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Speaker 1: which is a historically black university. Why was it important

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Speaker 1: to have the showcase there?

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Speaker 2: Historically black colleges and universities are incredibly important because they

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Speaker 2: have been the backbone of the Black community and our

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Speaker 2: educational opportunities throughout their nation's history. And we want to

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Speaker 2: continue to uplift their athletics because they've been overlooked, to

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Speaker 2: be quite honest, and I think they're doing a lot

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Speaker 2: of great things. So we really wanted to make sure

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Speaker 2: that it was in a space where the girls feel

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Speaker 2: valued and feel like they're seeing other people that see

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Speaker 2: the world in similar ways. And HBCUs are incredibly important

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Speaker 2: because it prepares you for the next step of life.

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Speaker 2: And not only do we want them to invest in

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Speaker 2: their athletic dreams, but we also want to encourage them

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Speaker 2: to shoot for the stars with their academic dreams as well.

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Speaker 2: And there's no better place than Prairie View, Texas. Plus

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Speaker 2: it's centrally located, so it makes it a little bit

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Speaker 2: easier for people from all over the country, both on

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Speaker 2: the west and the East coast who get there. But

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Speaker 2: I think it'll be really special to see the resources

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Speaker 2: that they have, the facilities that they have. The weather

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Speaker 2: will be nice obviously in November that will be important

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Speaker 2: as well. So I think it's just a great location

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Speaker 2: and we're excited to uplift all of the leaders at

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Speaker 2: their university as well.

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Speaker 1: Still spots available are all filled up.

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Speaker 2: So a bunch of BWPC players, a coaching network, scouts

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Speaker 2: and club directors are suggesting players that they think would

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Speaker 2: be good fits for this. But it will be finalized

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Speaker 2: in about the next month or so.

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Speaker 1: Nice and this feels like a natural intersection from Pinto

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Speaker 1: Football Foundation. Can you tell me a little bit more

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Speaker 1: about what you do with them, because I know you

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Speaker 1: work with the Boys and Girls Club and a bunch

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Speaker 1: of other just youth based stuff. It feels like you're

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Speaker 1: constantly looking back and trying to pull people up with you.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it keeps me going. I love pinto Football Foundation

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Speaker 2: because it's everything I'm passionate about and putting those things

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Speaker 2: into action. Again, I've been afforded a lot of resources

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Speaker 2: in this game, whether that's monetarily or a platform, access

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Speaker 2: to fields, and I know that's hard to come by

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Speaker 2: for a lot of people. So again, I want to

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Speaker 2: leave the sport better than I found it. So I

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Speaker 2: really want to pour back into my community because they

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Speaker 2: helped raise me, and they really watered the beliefs that

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Speaker 2: I had and everything that I wanted to do. They

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Speaker 2: cheered me on every step of the way, even through

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Speaker 2: the ups and downs. So alongside my family, my dad

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Speaker 2: played collegiately, my mom was a D one softball player

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Speaker 2: at Carolina as well. My brothers played collegiately and professionally.

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Speaker 2: We wanted to make sure that we left something lasting

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Speaker 2: in our community. So we hold free clinics for anyone

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Speaker 2: that wants to attend, and we're just trying to plant

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Speaker 2: the seed and just get them to fall in love

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Speaker 2: with the game, and thanks to Adidas, one of my sponsors,

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Speaker 2: I've been able to leave them with equipment so that

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Speaker 2: they can continue to play for years to come, whether

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Speaker 2: that's a soccer ball or shame that's or water bottle.

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Speaker 2: And I know a lot of people don't even have

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Speaker 2: a soccer ball, so how are they supposed to like

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Speaker 2: continue playing on their own if they don't have the

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Speaker 2: basic necessity to play the game. So it's just been

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Speaker 2: really special because we've created a space for one where

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Speaker 2: kids are safe, too, where they get to be around

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Speaker 2: college athletes, pros, great coaches in the area, and three

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Speaker 2: they get to meet other people in their community. And

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Speaker 2: again it's been so much fun because so many people

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Speaker 2: and businesses from around the Triangle area in North Carolina

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Speaker 2: have offered up help just to keep things accessible. One

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Speaker 2: of the things that we look to address is the

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Speaker 2: food insecurity because we are targeting underserved communities, so in

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Speaker 2: order for a kid to play well, they need to

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Speaker 2: be fueled properly, So we always provide lunch and then

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Speaker 2: we do a Q and a session at the end

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Speaker 2: talking about education through athletics, because again, all of my

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Speaker 2: family members got great educations at various universities, and we

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Speaker 2: believe that education can be a pathway for athletics. So

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Speaker 2: as long as you're working hard in the class or

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Speaker 2: equally as hard in the classroom as you are in

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Speaker 2: the soccer field, then you'll be set up for success.

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Speaker 1: And I want to mention that even though you did

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Speaker 1: leave early to enter the NWSL draft, you did go

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Speaker 1: back and get your degree from UNC, so you're a

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Speaker 1: part of that legacy of academic excellence and making sure

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Speaker 1: you finished up there. And I love I'm a field

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Speaker 1: hockey girlly. I played field hockey in high school, so

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Speaker 1: I love that you also did some joint sessions with

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Speaker 1: field hockey there. And obviously we've had Aaron Mattson on

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Speaker 1: the show, the incredible head coach at UNC field hockey,

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Speaker 1: So there's a little tie there to your tar heels

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Speaker 1: and the field hockey legacy that they've got as well. There.

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Speaker 1: Before I let you go, I do you want to

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Speaker 1: talk a little bit of courage. As we're chatting today,

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Speaker 1: your team is hanging on to the final playoff position

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Speaker 1: in the NWSL table, just two points up on the

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Speaker 1: Houston Dash and racing Louisville. So what do you need

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Speaker 1: to do to stay in the top eight.

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Speaker 2: We need to win games. This is the best league

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00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:29,399
Speaker 2: in the world, and you know, anybody can win on

435
00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,199
Speaker 2: any given day. So we've got to put together all

436
00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:34,359
Speaker 2: of our pieces, make sure we come out ready to

437
00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:38,239
Speaker 2: defend the field and create goal scoring opportunities, and make

438
00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,480
Speaker 2: sure we're clinical in front of net. So it's really simple, like,

439
00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:43,399
Speaker 2: we've got to win games, and I do think we

440
00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:46,280
Speaker 2: have every piece necessary to do that. The courage is

441
00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:48,160
Speaker 2: going to go on a great run over this next

442
00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:50,360
Speaker 2: month to make sure that we're in the playoffs, because

443
00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:52,639
Speaker 2: that's the fabric of our identity and the fabric of

444
00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,280
Speaker 2: the club. And I really believe in the group, and

445
00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,160
Speaker 2: we've been a resilient bunch. Obviously we haven't had every

446
00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:00,879
Speaker 2: result go our way, but it's a long season for

447
00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:02,479
Speaker 2: a reason, and you just have to get hot at

448
00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:05,560
Speaker 2: the right minute. And I think that we are in

449
00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:06,800
Speaker 2: the pursuit of.

450
00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,320
Speaker 1: That you mentioned having to be resilient. Your head coach,

451
00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:11,959
Speaker 1: Seawan Nahous was fired sort of abruptly mid season. You're

452
00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,480
Speaker 1: playing out the season under interim head coach Nathan Thackery.

453
00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:16,840
Speaker 1: What kind of conversations, did you as a leader and

454
00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,600
Speaker 1: did other players have during that unexpected change at the

455
00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:21,680
Speaker 1: top to say, you know, we got to push through

456
00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,520
Speaker 1: this and finish out this season regardless of who's leading us.

457
00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,800
Speaker 2: Yeah, Coach and Ahouse served the club for many, many years,

458
00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:29,639
Speaker 2: and we thank him for this service because he was

459
00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:33,120
Speaker 2: incredibly passionate about what he did and creating a good

460
00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:35,439
Speaker 2: style of play that we all believed in. But you know,

461
00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:38,320
Speaker 2: change is inevitable in professional sports and you kind of

462
00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,119
Speaker 2: have to roll with the punches. But our group wanted

463
00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:43,800
Speaker 2: to make sure that we kept our locker room positive

464
00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,920
Speaker 2: and really made sure that everybody knew that we had

465
00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:51,439
Speaker 2: each other's backs. And I think we have grown a

466
00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:53,800
Speaker 2: little bit at the second half of the season, and

467
00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:57,840
Speaker 2: coach Dacheray has really stepped in well, and he's just

468
00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,280
Speaker 2: tried to instill belief in the group then reminding us

469
00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:03,320
Speaker 2: that we can win on any day and we have

470
00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,640
Speaker 2: to put in good performances and make sure that we're

471
00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:11,919
Speaker 2: aggressive both offensively and defensively. So I think the group

472
00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:15,720
Speaker 2: has been great. Everybody enjoys being around each other. The

473
00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:19,040
Speaker 2: training level is at such a high level, and you know,

474
00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,600
Speaker 2: we're grateful just for the opportunity to compete in a

475
00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:25,240
Speaker 2: league as competitive as the NWSL is. So we want

476
00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:27,840
Speaker 2: to make our fans proud and make sure that we're

477
00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:31,280
Speaker 2: putting on performances that they would like to watch, and

478
00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:33,840
Speaker 2: we're going to go after every win that we possibly can.

479
00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:36,760
Speaker 1: Well, Brown, I think your team and the sport are

480
00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:39,560
Speaker 1: in great hands with you leading the way, So thanks

481
00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:41,520
Speaker 1: so much for giving us some time and congrats on

482
00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:45,240
Speaker 1: literally everything you've accomplished put especially on this incredible showcase

483
00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:46,240
Speaker 1: that you're helping put together.

484
00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:48,800
Speaker 2: Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Thank you so

485
00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:51,720
Speaker 2: much again. It's been a joy just to see the

486
00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:54,120
Speaker 2: women's game continue to grow over the years, both as

487
00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:56,200
Speaker 2: a fan of the NWSL when I was, you know,

488
00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:58,920
Speaker 2: a teenager and now playing in it, and then also

489
00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:02,880
Speaker 2: all the organized that have come to support the players

490
00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,720
Speaker 2: and giving us a platform. So the good game with you,

491
00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:08,600
Speaker 2: I think is awesome, like how you're covering the sport

492
00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:12,440
Speaker 2: and making sure that the storytelling aspect of who we

493
00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:14,879
Speaker 2: are as human beings is accurately being told. So I

494
00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:16,880
Speaker 2: really appreciate that You're welcome.

495
00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:22,359
Speaker 1: Thanks again to Brionna for joining us. We have to

496
00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:24,760
Speaker 1: take another break when we come back. Some softball and

497
00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:37,200
Speaker 1: gay shit. Welcome back Slices. We got a little softball

498
00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:39,920
Speaker 1: and gay shit announcement on this fraya. We want to

499
00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,720
Speaker 1: say congratulations to athletes Unlimited Softball League player infielder for

500
00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:46,959
Speaker 1: the Volts, Sierra Romero, who got engaged to her partner

501
00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:51,080
Speaker 1: Addison Caldwell over the weekend. The two posted some gorgeous

502
00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:55,280
Speaker 1: picks and Addison, girl, you did well. Caldwell got down

503
00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:57,200
Speaker 1: on one knee on the side of a rock cliff

504
00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:01,520
Speaker 1: overlooking the ocean. Yeah, that's the stuff. We'll link to

505
00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:04,440
Speaker 1: pictures of the proposal in our show notes. Cheers you two.

506
00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:07,399
Speaker 1: We love that you're listening slices, but you know we

507
00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:08,960
Speaker 1: want you to get in the game every day too,

508
00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:11,479
Speaker 1: So here's our good game play of the day. Follow

509
00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:14,399
Speaker 1: Brianna on social media. We'll link to her account in

510
00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,720
Speaker 1: our show notes, and follow the Black Women's Player Collective too.

511
00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:21,560
Speaker 1: They do some really cool stuff, including five v five tournaments, clinics,

512
00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:24,359
Speaker 1: meet and greets, and more. They've also got some pretty

513
00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:26,200
Speaker 1: cool merch, so we'll link to where you can grab

514
00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:28,440
Speaker 1: some in our show notes. We always love to hear

515
00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:30,320
Speaker 1: from you, so hit us up. On email good game

516
00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,320
Speaker 1: at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail at

517
00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:36,360
Speaker 1: eight seven two two oh four fifty seventy, and don't

518
00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:39,960
Speaker 1: forget to subscribe, rate and review. It's easy. Take it

519
00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:44,800
Speaker 1: from listeners like Mary Pz, who wrote, I'm loving GGWSS.

520
00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:47,119
Speaker 1: It's a one stop for all women's sports. But it

521
00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,920
Speaker 1: doesn't stop there. They cover life issues and they are amazing. Allies.

522
00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:54,760
Speaker 1: Keep doing what you're doing, big Citris, Thank you Mary,

523
00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:58,479
Speaker 1: and what about listener Eric six point twenty, who wrote,

524
00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:00,560
Speaker 1: this show is more than a sports toimealk show, or

525
00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,399
Speaker 1: even specifically a women's sports talk show. It is a

526
00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:07,440
Speaker 1: critically necessary tonic and an increasingly maddening world. It's a

527
00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:12,080
Speaker 1: daily mental health exercise in rational, reasonable discussion, and most importantly,

528
00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:14,960
Speaker 1: Sarah's unrelenting sense of humor puts a needed smile on

529
00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:18,920
Speaker 1: my face every morning. Damn, Eric, that was really really nice.

530
00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,840
Speaker 1: That made my day. In fact, we might change our

531
00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:25,160
Speaker 1: show's tagline to a critically necessary tonic and an increasingly

532
00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:29,520
Speaker 1: maddening world. That's very well written. All Right, I'm feeling good.

533
00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:32,080
Speaker 1: Those made me feel good, so good that I'm going

534
00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:34,600
Speaker 1: to give a review of my own save in a

535
00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:37,600
Speaker 1: seat for the ones who got you there, rating two

536
00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:41,520
Speaker 1: out of two empty chairs review. Newly named head coach

537
00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,040
Speaker 1: of the US national basketball team, Kara Lawson made sure

538
00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:47,200
Speaker 1: to recognize two important members of her life that didn't

539
00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,399
Speaker 1: live long enough to see her incredible accomplishment at the

540
00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:53,080
Speaker 1: official press conference introducing her as the new leader for

541
00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:56,320
Speaker 1: Team USA. The Duke University women's hoops head coach, former

542
00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,800
Speaker 1: WNBA champ, and Olympic gold medalists, save two seats in

543
00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:02,480
Speaker 1: the front row, one for her dad and one for

544
00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:06,560
Speaker 1: her college coach Pat Summit, Tennessee. Orange flowers rested on

545
00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:10,040
Speaker 1: Pat seat and blue and white flowers for dad, wrote

546
00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:13,320
Speaker 1: Lawson in an Instagram post about the saved seats. Quote

547
00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:15,359
Speaker 1: wish they could have been there in person, but I

548
00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:18,760
Speaker 1: know they were there in spirit. End quote. Now it's

549
00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:21,960
Speaker 1: your turn, y'all, rate and review. It really helps us.

550
00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:25,160
Speaker 1: Thanks for listening. See you next week. Good game, Brianna,

551
00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:29,200
Speaker 1: Good game, Black Women's Player Collective, Few women still having

552
00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:34,720
Speaker 1: the crowd fun to get to World Cups. Good Game

553
00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:37,560
Speaker 1: with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production in

554
00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:40,520
Speaker 1: partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find

555
00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:43,760
Speaker 1: us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you

556
00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:47,840
Speaker 1: get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network. Our producers

557
00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:51,160
Speaker 1: are Alex Azzie and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are

558
00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:55,680
Speaker 1: Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutterer. Our

559
00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:59,800
Speaker 1: editors are Emily Rutter, Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch and Gianna Palmer.

560
00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:04,040
Speaker 1: Our associate producer is Lucy Jones' production assistance from Avery

561
00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:06,600
Speaker 1: Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain