DALLAS — Since scoring the game-winning penalty against China in the 1999 World Cup Finals, USWNT legend Brandi Chastain has gone on to coach, commentate and advocate for women’s leadership in sports.
Her most recent speaking endeavor brought the two-time Olympic gold medalist to Texas Woman’s University in Denton to discuss how sports have impacted her life and the connection between women’s leadership and athletics.
Chastain spoke with The Dallas Morning News before the event about what she’s been up to since she concluded her decorated career in 2010 as well as some of the most pressing issues in women’s soccer today.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
— What has your experience been like coaching high school soccer?
— Chastain: “Nothing has replaced playing in my heart, but I found a lot of things that bring me a lot of joy, and parenting and coaching are pretty close to one and two to fulfilling that void that was left from being with your teammates all the time.
“I love high school sports, and I believe that every person should have a high school sports experience. I say that because not everybody’s gonna go on to play college sports, and not everybody’s gonna go on to play in the World Cup or in the Olympic Games and have a professional career. The things that I learned about myself, the confidence that I could build, the pride I had wearing my school colors and my school logo or uniform were really powerful. I think high school sports don’t always have to live up to the professional side of things. It has so much to offer.”
— How has coaching boys soccer differed from being involved in women’s soccer?
— Chastain: “I coached boys in high school, so that was an experience, being able to learn the profile of the players and the mentality and the emotions of the players. I happen to be a mom of boys, so I had at least a little experience in that, but to see really an action, and then to bring those things back to when I coached girls and then to bring the things I thought were really good about the girls over to the boys.
“It was really this great cross-pollination of concepts of caring for your teammates more and a little less about yourself for the boys. And on this side for the girls, how can you see yourself more, put yourself out there more in an individual way that’s not conceded? It’s more about building your own confidence and saying you can do it.”
— What was it like to watch the USWNT sign its historic collective bargaining agreement in May to achieve equal pay?
— Chastain: “I think all of us who have been in this conversation for the last 25 years of playing for the national team, we’ve been exhausted by the conversation. Getting there was such a battle, so having to have that conversation for multiple decades was exhausting. I think the first thing I felt when it was done was a sense of relief. And of course, there was joy that came along with that. But I think it was just this exhaustion that was kind of the overarching emotion at first.
“We knew that it would have this great impact, and that this watershed moment would not just be for the U.S. Women’s National Team, but for so many other people in different places, whether that be in sport or not. And it would be another example of why things don’t have to be the way they’ve been. Change is good. Change is important. Change can be hard, but it also can be really great. So, let’s get out of the fearful part of this and get on with the good things that we can do.
“It took a lot of people doing a lot of hard work and never giving up. I think there’s a lot to be said about that. This was a four-decade long arm wrestle. We’re very pleased with the outcome, but we also still have to be diligent. Look at what’s been going on. Whatever your beliefs are, things can be taken away, so we have to be diligent, and we have to stay present and aware and make sure that we don’t regress.”
— How does the NWSL move forward after the surfacing of the abuse allegations around the league?
— Chastain: “It’s devastating on so many levels for so many reasons whether you’re a fan of the sport or not. Just having that type of environment so detrimental to the health of people, that’s awful.
“I honestly believe this is a tipping point. There’s always these moments in time where you have to decide how you make this better. I feel like this is a chance for us to take something that’s really good at its core and the essence of what it is and now we can uplift it. Unfortunately, there’s been some tragic history, but if you look at any history, you see that big change usually comes when these themes happen.
“I’m not saying for one moment that something like this should happen or needs to happen. I would love for things to evolve in a natural way that is always progressive and positive. But we are where we are, and we can make better, and we will do better. Because of this, things will be better.”
— With such progress being reached in some regards like the Title IX anniversary or the CBA coinciding with steps backward like the NWSL abuse scandal and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, are we in a period of progress or regression for women and women in sports, in particular?
— Chastain: “I honestly believe we were meant to work, and we’re meant to make change, and we’re meant to inspire. It’s not always going to be easy. But I know we’re strong enough. I know we’re capable enough. And we need allies, and we need advocates. We cannot do it on our own.
“But I think it also is just a reminder of being present and being aware, and not taking things for granted, and that we stay diligent. We’d like to take a breath. But we’re bunkering, and we’re gonna get ourselves stronger, and we’re gonna fight.”
— Watching the progress that has been made since your playing days, what does the anniversary of Title IX mean this year?
— Chastain: “Title IX is the thing that propelled us here, 50 years later, and even though it’s been 50 years, it feels like now is finally the jumping off point. It seems that women have always been ready to do great things, and now I really believe that the rest of the world is ready to accept it and to appreciate it for all the greatness that women have.”
