The women's national team is a very successful team, and that success has given us a platform to speak on gender equity issues. Millions of young women play soccer in this country, and it's empowering for them to see that our contribution to the game is valued.

Becky Sauerbrunn

Categorized in : Game Success Women Gender

It's that deep-seeded societal gender norm that women, for some reason, aren't elite athletes, when we are. We really are. I think we fight against that a bit.

Becky Sauerbrunn

fighting athlete thinking

I think we have to keep putting women's sports in the limelight. I thought the Women's World Cup did a wonderful job of showing the quality of women's soccer. But we also need coverage and marketing and press and getting these female athletes to become household names.

Becky Sauerbrunn

athlete soccer sports

Really, off days for soccer players are just recovery days. You're trying to get off your feet as much as possible.

Becky Sauerbrunn

recovery player soccer

This team is (a) new identity. It's revamped, it's got a very young, energetic, majority to it, it's a new team, we're going to try to create our own legacy.

Becky Sauerbrunn

top-news

We've always had very strong, fanatic, loyal supporters, but we're starting to win more people over into that group. The interest that we got in Canada has definitely carried over. And we hope to keep riding that success.

Becky Sauerbrunn

sports

We could not have asked for a better crowd, a better day, a better score, it was just kind of I think the best experience I've ever had on a soccer field.

Becky Sauerbrunn

sports

Success doesn't motivate me as much as integrity does. Everyone loses. I enjoy the pressure of showing up every single day, being focused, putting forth my best effort, getting the best out of my teammates, and enjoying the journey.

Becky Sauerbrunn

best day journey success

You think about the legacy that you leave behind, and I've been very fortunate to be part of a very successful team, but I think the fight for equal pay and respect is something that goes beyond the field. I think it is very important, something that I'm very willing to take on to help the generations that come behind me.

Becky Sauerbrunn

fight me you respect

I'm very hard on myself. I think that drives me because I don't want to let people down or let myself down. That fear of failing drives me from being complacent.

Becky Sauerbrunn

myself me fear people

Even when matches don't work out the way you planned, you've always got to stay strong in defence; it's a matter of willpower and intelligence.

Becky Sauerbrunn

you intelligence strong work

I've never been the tallest or the strongest or the fastest. But I'd like to think that I can read the game well enough, that I can position myself well enough, that I can level the playing field when it comes to physical differences. When it comes to height, whoever wants the ball more is going to win it.

Becky Sauerbrunn

game win myself think

I actually got my start playing indoor soccer with the boys, a bunch of boys I played with. We eventually became a club team and then essentially got to the point where I couldn't be a girl on the boys' team, so I switched over to JB Marine.

Becky Sauerbrunn

start team girl soccer

The way I play, it's very much more a mental game than a physical game. I'm looking for space and where are players leaving space. Defensively, where are we at numerical disadvantages? Do I shift more to the left because they have more players on their right side? It's about reading the game before the game happens.

Becky Sauerbrunn

looking game space reading

If you've done the work, done the training sessions, when you go into these games, you should feel ready. All you can ask is, 'Did you do your best, and try your best,' and then what happens, happens.

Becky Sauerbrunn

do-your-best best you work

Defenders must be careful yet decisive when taking action.

Becky Sauerbrunn

must careful be-careful action

The game can be quite dangerous when you look at certain injuries, especially head injuries.

Becky Sauerbrunn

injuries game look you

I've always been very hard on myself, and I never want to get to a point where I'm like, 'Alright, I'm kicking butt,' but I know I need to be confident because I think that will take my game to the next level.

Becky Sauerbrunn

never game myself think

The past doesn't matter. Take today.

Becky Sauerbrunn

take matter today past

Soccer can be very subtle; it's a very nuanced sport. If I happen to make things easy and people don't see it, that could be a reason why someone might stand out more than I do. But that's just the way I've grown up playing the game.

Becky Sauerbrunn

game easy people way

Julie Johnston is what I would call a loud central defender, as far as how she tackles and how she plays - you notice her. And you notice her in a positive way. She's a destroyer. She interrupts plays and tackles the crap out of people. That's a very visual thing.

Becky Sauerbrunn

you positive people way