Reflecting on the First Ever HER Soccer Summit 

Over 120 socceristas from all around the world bought a ticket to Girls Soccer Network’s first HER Soccer Summit hosted by Shawna Gordon. The attendees for the 3-day event ranged from 8 year olds to 16 years old and came from all around the US and all around the world, including India, Canada, and Wales. Each day kicked off with a fun, high-intensity soccer session with Shawna. After 45 minutes of sweating and skills training, the girls were led through Q&As, conversations, and workshops by a group of incredible guests.

Day 1

First on the guest list for Day 1 was Lisa Zimouche, also known as Lisa Freestyle. The 21-year-old superstar with the fanciest feet in Paris sat down with the girls for half an hour to talk about her journey into the freestyle world, her love of creating free-form art with the ball at her feet, and, of course, megging any and all boys who try to challenge her.

Next up was Melissa Ortiz, a former pro and Olympian who now works as a broadcaster and entrepreneur in the soccer world. Ortiz’s story was an inspiring one that left the girls truly enraptured (conveyed by “dropped jaws” on the screen!) as they followed her rise and the twists and turns of her career. She went from not even thinking she’d play collegiate soccer to representing Colombia in her country’s first ever Olympics. She also navigated heartbreak as she got severely injured before Colombia’s first ever WWC. 

After Ortiz, professional Nike coach, from the land of koalas and Sam Kerr, Bec Wilcock joined the webinar. Wilcock, an ultra marathoner who has worked with some of the best teams and individual athletes in the world alike, talked to the girls about the best ways to train. Her session then got physical as she led everyone through a quick and easy-to-do strength workout — the only piece of equipment the girls’ needed was a pillow!

Day 1 finished off with Shawna who took some time to answer questions about her soccer story, her non-profit and all the awesome ways she stays involved in the beautiful game and gives back to it.

Day 2

With a better sense of what to expect for the three-hour day, the socceristas in attendance were rearing to go for Summit Day 2. Polls, Word Clouds, and chat boxes allowed everyone to bond, laugh and engage together in between guests. After Shawna’s tight space footwork and cardio session, the girls welcomed Amanda Ferranti. Ferranti, a sports psychologist and former pro, opened eyes to the importance of the mental and emotional part of soccer and how it fits into physical, ball-at-your-feet moments. In her session, Ferranti allowed girls to connect over common emotional “triggers” on the field and gave some tips on how to manage them to perform their best. A calming breathing exercise led by Ferranti was definitely a highlight.

Yours truly then came on after Ferranti, hosting not-your-average women’s soccer trivia. The girls were able to unleash their competitive side answering questions about international women’s soccer history, Title IX, and much more. Awesome Nike and Goal 5 prizes, of course, were awarded to some standout performers. Wrapping up the day, New Zealand captain Ali Riley logged in from Sweden (where she’s currently playing) to talk to the socceristas about nutrition. A huge part of the 32-year-old legend’s longevity at the highest level can be attributed to how she treats her body. She talked to the girls about proper fueling, debunked some myths, and ended with some fun in the kitchen where she walked through an easy, yummy recipe for protein balls. 

Day 3

Day 3 started off with some mixed emotions as the girls (and hosts alike!) were excited for the last day, but also sad that this special event would soon be coming to a close. More and more socceristas were alert and ready for Shawna’s morning sessions, which were no joke! Amazing to see how little equipment and space you need to improve your skills. Lisa Freestyle rejoined the group to show the girls the fundamentals of some impressive juggling tricks. In addition to speaking to the group, Lisa gave one-of-a-kind, one-on-one instruction to a few. With an easy prop (a chair!), she also showed the girls how to practice their nutmegging!

Next up was Jamia Fields, an NWSL player who just came off a championship win with the Houston Dash. Fields talked about how she’s channeled her confidence and used her platform in soccer to speak on the causes about which she is most passionate, namely Black Lives Matter. Charismatic and talented Utah Royals rookie Tziarra King met up with us after. The former NC State forward talked about her path to the pros, what it’s like to be a newbie on a pro squad, and answered all sorts of questions from the girls about who inspires her and what music she likes to listen to before games. 

And finally, the last HER Soccer Summit guest, a USWNT defender who needs no introduction…Becky Sauerbrunn. The girls were elated to talk to the World Cup winner in such a special setting. Sauerbrunn spent her session discussing the ins and outs of leadership. What qualities make a good leader? How do you resolve conflict? She recommended books for the girls and talked about lessons she has learned the hard way in her storied career. She spent time at the end to thoughtfully answer questions from many of the girls.

Final Thoughts

In signing off from HER Soccer Summit, there was an overwhelming feeling of “wow, this community is incredible.” The pandemic, of course, has rocked us to our very core and squashed a lot of hopes along the way. This, we at GSN believe, is one of those brightly shining silver linings, however, from this strange and incredibly challenging time. This Summit idea started off as a seed and sprouted in a way we could have never imagined. And to think, it might not have happened at all in a different time.

The three days were filled with “aha” moments, nuggets of info, laughs, inspiration and so much more. The virtual nature of the event allowed girls to connect with others from faraway places with the exact same passion as them. It allowed for a host of incredible guests to share their expertise. It showed, in such a clear and cool way, all the amazing places — literally and figuratively — this sport can take everyone of us.

We couldn’t be more proud to put on this event. We would like to extend a big thank you to Shawna Gordon for putting all her womanpower behind the event and being the energetic and awesome face behind it all. We would also like to express gratitude to the guests and all who came. 

We absolutely cannot wait for the next Summit!

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