>> Briana Scurry: WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN 1993 THE U.S. SOCCER PARENT GENERATION, THEY GIVE US FIVE DOLLARS A DAY PER DIEM.

AND SO WE FOUGHT THE FEDERATION TO GET PARITY AND TO GET EQUALITY NOT ONLY PAY BUT ALSO JUST IN HOW WE WERE TREATED .

.

>> Bonnie: HELLO, I'M BONNIE ERBE.

WELCOME TO b CONTRARY.b CONTINUE OUR WOMAN THOUGHT LEADER SERIES WITH FORMER U.S. NATIONAL TEAM GOALKEEPER, BRIANA SCURRY.

AS A PLAYER, SHE WON A WORLD CUP AND TWO OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS.

SHE WAS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN INDUCTED INTO THE NATIONAL SOCCER HALL OF FAME.

NOW SHE WORKS AS A COACH, PUBLIC SPEAKER AN ADVOCATE ON SEVERAL TOPICS.

SO WELCOME TO THE SHOW, BRIANA.

>> Briana Scurry: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Bonnie: THANK YOU.

VERY NICE TO HAVE YOU.

AND SO, YOU WERE IN THE 1999 WORLD CUP.

TELL US, WHAT WAS THE LEAD UP TO THAT?

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN SOCCER?

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE IT AS A SPORT AND HOW DID YOU GET TO AN OLYMPIC LEVEL?> Briana Scurry: ABSOLUTELY.

SO MY DREAM BEGAN WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.

I WAS SITTING ON THE COUCH WITH MY MOM AND DAD WATCHING THE 1980 LAKE PLACID MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM DO SOMETHING IMPOSSIBLE BY BEATING THE USSR.

AND I DECLARED TO MY PARENTS, THAT DAY I SAID I WANT TO BE AN OLYMPIAN.

AND THEY, FORTUNATELY FOR ME, WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE, VERY NURTURING OF MY LITTLE INSPIRATION THAT I SAW ON TV.

AND THAT'S WHEN I FIRST DECIDED I WANTED TO BE AN OLYMPIAN.

AND AS I GREW UP, WE REALIZED THAT I WAS GOOD AT SPORTS.

AND I WOULD BRING HOME A LITTLE FLYER FROM THE CLASSROOM AND SAY, I WANT TO PLAY TACKLE FOOTBALL.

I DID THAT FOR TWO YEARS.

MY PARENTS SAID YES.

I WANT TO PLAY SOCCER WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD.

THEY SAID, YES, I'D PLAY BASKETBALL, FLOOR HOCKEY.

I DID A LOT OF DIFFERENT SPORTS WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, AND MY PARENTS WERE ALWAYS INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE OF IT.

AND THAT SEED THAT I HAD AT EIGHT YEARS OLD WAS STILL IN THE BACK OF MY MIND.

AND SO, WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE, I DECLARED ONE SPORT OF SOCCER.

I WAS ACTUALLY RECRUITED BY SOME COLLEGES TO PLAY FOUR DIFFERENT SPORTS THAT I DID IN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I DECIDED I WAS THE BEST AT SOCCER.

SO I WENT WITH THAT, THE GOALKEEPING WHAT WERE THE OTHER THREE?

>> Bonnie: >> Briana Scurry: I PLAYED SOFTBALL IN HIGH SCHOOL, I RAN TRACK, AND I PLAY BASKETBALL AS WELL.

BUT I HAD A LOT MORE ACTIVITY AND OPTIONS WITH SOCCER BECAUSE MY FAMILY -- ALTHOUGH MY PARENTS WERE INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE, WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.

SO I HAD TO MAKE SURE I GOT A SCHOLARSHIP IN ORDER TO GO TO COLLEGE AT ALL.

AND SO I WENT WITH THE BEST OPPORTUNITY, WHICH WAS THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS.

AND THAT'S WHEN I FOUND OUT FROM MY COACH, JIM RUDY, AT THE TIME, HE THOUGHT I WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY ON THE WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM MY SOPHOMORE YEAR THERE.

AND I PLAYED INCREDIBLY HARD AND HAD A LOT OF GREAT EXPERIMENT -- EXPERIENCES IN COLLEGE.

AND WE WENT TO THE NCAA FINAL FOR MY SENIOR YEAR AGAINST UNC, THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, WHO HAD WON MULTIPLE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS UP TO THAT POINT, AND THE HEAD COACH OF THAT TEAM WAS ALSO THE HEAD COACH OF THE WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM.

HE WORE TWO HATS.

AND SO, WE PLAYED THAT GAME AND EVEN THOUGH WE LOST 4-1, I SHOWED INCREDIBLY WELL APPARENTLY, BECAUSE A WEEK LATER, THEY CALLED ME INTO NATIONAL TEAM CAMP.

AND THAT WAS IN NOVEMBER OF 1993.

SO I STARTED ON THE NATIONAL TEAM THEN AND OVER THE YEARS PLAYED IN A WORLD CUP IN '95 AND DID INCREDIBLY WELL.

OBVIOUSLY, '96 WE WON OLYMPIC GOLD.

AND AFTER WE WON OLYMPIC GOLD IN ATLANTA, IN FRONT OF 76,000 IN ATHENS, GEORGIA, WE REALIZED THAT WE HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL.

AND WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP HERE IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1999.

SO WE HAD THREE YEARS TO REALLY BUILD A FOLLOWING TO GET PEOPLE TO BE EXCITED ABOUT WOMEN'S SOCCER, BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO HOST THIS AMAZING TOURNAMENT.

AND ORIGINALLY, THE PLAN WAS TO PLAY THAT TOURNAMENT IN SMALLER STADIUMS, YOU KNOW, TWO TO 5000, MAYBE 10,000, THE MOST IN ATTENDANCE.

AND BECAUSE OF OUR GREAT SUCCESS IN '96, THE POWERS THAT BE FROM THE COMMITTEE DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE BIG FOOTBALL STADIUMS AND, YOU KNOW, NEW YORK CITY AND CHICAGO AND PASADENA AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND WE BASICALLY WENT ON BARNSTORMING TOURS LEADING UP TO THAT TOURNAMENT AND WE WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE WORD OUT AND ABOUT WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO.

AND WE HAD A LOT OF GREAT SUPPORT.

AND SO, WE HAD OUR FIRST GAME, 76,000 PEOPLE IN THAT WOMEN'S WORLD CUP IN GIANT STADIUM, AND WE ENDED UP WINNING, OBVIOUSLY IN THE ROSE BOWL IN FRONT OF 90,000 PEOPLE AND 40 MILLION ON TV.

SO IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY.

IT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.

AND WE WORKED REALLY HARD AT IT.

WE WORKED VERY HARD AT SHOWCASING OUR SPORT AND GETTING PEOPLE INTERESTED IN WHAT WE WERE DOING.

>> Bonnie: OBVIOUSLY, WOMEN'S SOCCER HAS BEEN ON A LONG PATH TO ACHIEVE THE SUCCESS THAT IT HAS ACHIEVED MORE -- EVEN MORE RECENTLY.

WHAT DID YOU ENCOUNTER?

TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

I MEAN, BEING ONE OF THE EARLY WOMEN TO PLAY AT THAT LEVEL, OR WERE YOU DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN ANY WAY, ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

>> Briana Scurry: WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN 1993, U.S. SOCCER FEDERATION ONLY GAVE US FIVE DOLLARS A DAY FOR PER DIEM.

WE DIDN'T HAVE A REAL STRUCTURE FOR INCOME OR FOR CONTRACTS AT THE TIME.

IT WASN'T UNTIL BETWEEN 1995 AND '96, WHEN WE THREATENED TO STRIKE BEFORE THE OLYMPICS, THAT WE ACTUALLY GOT A CONTRACT WHERE WE HAD SOME, YOU KNOW, WEEKLY, MONTHLY STRUCTURE OF PAYMENT.

AND THAT WAS ONLY A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH.

AND SO, THAT'S WHERE IT BEGAN.

AND OVER TIME, WE HAD TO KEEP GOING BACK TO THE TABLE WITH U.S. SOCCER FEDERATION, NOT ONLY TO GET HIGHER PAY, BUT TO GET OTHER THINGS LIKE MASSAGE THERAPISTS AND QUALITY TRAVEL AND QUALITY HOTELS.

AND JUST THE WAY THINGS WERE SCHEDULED BETWEEN US AND THE MEN WERE WE FOUGHT THE FEDERATION TO GET -- AND SO WE FOUGHT THE FEDERATION TO GET PARITY AND TO GET EQUALITY, AND NOT ONLY PAY BUT ALSO JUST IN HOW WE WERE TREATED, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, WE HAD ALREADY WON A WOMAN'S WORLD CUP IN 1991 AND OLYMPIC GOLD IN '96.

WELL, WHAT I'VE HEARD IN TERMS.

>> Bonnie: OF THE PAY -- AND CORRECT ME, PLEASE, IF I'M WRONG -- IS THAT THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP GETS ALL THE ATTENTION WAY MORE THAN MEN'S.

BUT THE AVERAGE ONGOING GAMES IN THE SERIES LEADING UP TO THE WORLD CUP, THERE'S MORE VIEWERSHIP WORLDWIDE ANYWAY OF MEN SOCCER THAN THERE IS OF WOMEN'S SOCCER.

IS THAT CORRECT?ND IF SO, DOES THAT THEN MAKE THE FACT THAT THEY PAY THEM AND MORE REASONABLE OR NOT?

>> Briana Scurry: SO THAT WAS THE CASE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

AND SO THAT WAS ALWAYS THE ARGUMENT THAT US SOCCER HAD, WAS REVENU, AND VIEWERSHIP AND RATINGS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.

AND THAT WAS VERY MUCH THE CASE UP UNTIL 2015, WHEN THE WOMEN'S TEAM WAS COMPETING IN THE WORLD CUP IN 2015.

AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY, THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN 2016.

AND THEN THE WORLD CUP JUST THIS PAST SUMMER 2019.

SO THAT FOUR YEAR PERIOD, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT TIMEFRAME, THE REVENUES WERE EQUAL BETWEEN THE WOMEN'S TEAM AND THE MEN'S TEAM.

NOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT RATINGS AND WHAT HAVE YOU, THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE TV RIGHTS AND THE DEALS THERE.

SO THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF DISCREPANCY THERE, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY CLOSE.

SO IN TERMS OF HOW THE MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM IS VIEWED IN THIS COUNTRY AND ABROAD AND THE WOMEN'S TEAM, IN THIS COUNTRY AND ABROAD, IT'S VERY SIMILAR.

BUT WHAT IS NOT SIMILAR IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY USE FOR MARKETING, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY USE FOR ADVERTISING, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A GAME FOR TICKET PRICES.

AND SO THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT VARIABLES THAT MAKE THE FINAL DOLLAR AMOUNT OF REVENUE LOWER IN THE PAST, BUT NOW BECAUSE THE WOMEN HAVE DOMINATED SO HANDILY, IT'S VERY MUCH DIFFERENT.

>> Bonnie: WELL, AND THERE WAS CONTROVERSY ABOUT THIS AT b ÃÃ BUT RIGHT BEFORE THE MOST RECENT GAMES, CORRECT?

>> Briana Scurry: YES.

>> Bonnie: AND EVEN THAT DIDN'T BRING THE FEDERATION UP TO PAYING WOMEN EQUALLY?

>> Briana Scurry: WELL, IT'S SO INTERESTING THAT YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE THIS PAST SPRING, THE WOMEN BROUGHT A LAWSUIT AGAINST US SOCCER FEDERATION IN CALIFORNIA IN THE SPRING.

AND UP UNTIL RECENTLY, THEY WERE TRYING TO DEAL WITH ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION TO SETTLE THAT DISPUTE.

SO THE 28 PLAYERS AT THE TIME WHO WERE ON THE SQUAD ARE IN THE POOL.

WE'RE ON THE LAWSUIT.

AND JUST RECENTLY, A JUDGE LOOKED AT THE ARGUMENTS THAT US SOCCER HAD AGAINST THE WOMEN AND THE ARGUMENTS THAT THE WOMEN HAD AGAINST US SOCCER, AND ESSENTIALLY SAID THAT US SOCCER'S ARGUMENT WAS ABSURD.

SO US SOCCER'S ARGUMENT WAS, WELL, WE'RE ACTUALLY PLAYING PAYING WOMEN EQUALLY.

BT, YEAH, EXACTLY.

SO IT'S INTERESTING, RIGHT?

>> Bonnie: EITHER YOU ARE OR YOU NOT.

>> Briana Scurry: I WAS WONDERING, TOO.

I'M LIKE, HOW DO YOU MEAN, b WELL, THEN THEY SAID THE FEDERATION SAID, WELL, WE PAID THE WOMEN THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY DURING THIS TIMEFRAME AS WE PAID THE MEN AND ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE TO WHICH MOST PEOPLE WOULD SAY, INCLUDING THE JUDGE, THAT'S ABSURD.

THEY WON TWO WORLD CUPS IN THAT TOURNAMENT IN THAT TIME, THEY ALSO PLAYED, YOU KNOW, 20 MORE GAMES.

AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT WAS EQUAL PAY BUT NOT EQUAL WORK BECAUSE THEY WORKED TWICE AS HARD.

THEY WON TWO WORLD CUPS, THEY TRAVELED TWICE AS MUCH.

THEY JUST THEY DID SO MUCH BETTER, LIKE COMPETITION WISE, EVEN THOUGH THE MEN DIDN'T EVEN QUALIFY.

SO IT WAS AN ABSURD ARGUMENT THAT THE FEDERATION WAS MAKING AND THE JUDGE BASICALLY SAID IT WAS RIDICULOUS.

AND THE SECOND ELEMENT THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, THIS WAS JUST THIS PAST FRIDAY, I THINK WAS NOVEMBER 7, WHERE THE JUDGE SAID THAT HE GRANTED ACTION b ÃÃ CLASS ACTION STATUS.

SO THAT MEANS THE 28 PLAYERS THAT ORIGINALLY HAD FILED THE SUIT.

HE GRANTED STATUS FOR CLASS ACTION, ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2015.

FEBRUARY 2015.

THAT MEANS EVERY SINGLE PLAYER THAT HAS EVER COME INTO CAMP, PLAY THE GAME, WON A WORLD CUP, ALL OF THEM ARE NOW PART OF THE LAWSUIT NOW.

SO IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED.

>> Bonnie: SO THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT MORE PLAINTIFFS IS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.

>> Briana Scurry: YES.

>> Bonnie: AS MUCH AS THREE OR FOUR TIMES MORE AS MANY PLAINTIFFS.

>> Briana Scurry: YES.

>> Bonnie: DEPENDING ON HOW MANY WOMEN CAME BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR.

>> Briana Scurry: EXACTLY> Bonnie: SO WHAT DO YOU PREDICT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE AND WHEN IN TERMS OF EQUALIZING PAY, OR EVEN OR GIVING SHERMAN HIGHER PAY?

>> Briana Scurry: RIGHT.

WELL, WHAT I PREDICT IS b ÃÃWHAT I DO KNOW IS THIS, I THINK THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS SUIT BEGINS IN MAY, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST AND THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN BASED ON WHAT THE JUDGE SAID VERY RECENTLY WAS THAT US SOCCER AND THE WOMEN'S TEAM WOULD GO BACK TO MEDIATION AND TRY TO HAMMER OUT SOMETHING AGAIN, BECAUSE I b ÃÃFROM WHAT I'VE READ, AND WHAT I'VE SEEN WITH THE JUDGES SAID IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR THE FEDERATION, NOT IN THE COURT OF LAW AND IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD FOR THEM IN THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION OR IN SOCIETY.

JUST THE WAY THAT THINGS ARE GOING NOW, THERE'S SO MUCH SUPPORT FOR THE WOMEN, NOT ONLY IN CONGRESS, BUT SOCIALLY DIFFERENT SPONSORS ARE STEPPING UP TO FILL THE GAPS OF CERTAIN AREAS WHERE THERE'S A HUGE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE MEN AND WOMEN, LIKE SIGNING BONUSES, ALL OF THAT ALL THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ARE GETTING INVOLVED AND PEOPLE ARE BEHIND THEM.

THE CLIMATE IS VERY DIFFERENT NOW IN 2019 THAN IT WAS IN 99, WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO FIGHT, AND I THINK IT'S TIME.

AND THE FEDERATION WOULD BE SMART.

AND THEIR PRESIDENT WOULD BE VERY, VERY SMART TO TRY TO SETTLE THIS BEFORE, BEFORE MAY AND THEN IF THAT HADN'T HAPPENED, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, THE FEDERATION AND THE PLAYERS CAN GO INTO A TOURNAMENT, UNIFIED, RIGHT?

I MEAN, BECAUSE IF YOU IMAGINE HOW BIG OF A STRESSOR THAT WAS, FOR THEM TO HAVE TO PLAY UNDER THAT, THAT CLOUD FOR THE WORLD CUP THIS PAST SUMMER, AND HOW MUCH MORE FREEING THEY WOULD FEEL, TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND TRY TO WIN THE DOUBLE WHICH NO ONE HAS EVER DONE BEFORE.

>> Bonnie: WELL, I WOULD THINK THAT THE PUBLIC SUPPORT IN THE STATES WOULD NOW BE LARGE ENOUGH THAT THE TEAM COULD SOMEHOW MARSHAL THAT PUBLIC SUPPORT BY WAY OF BOYCOTTING CERTAIN ELEMENT b ÃÃECONOMIC ELEMENTS, COMPANIES, WHAT HAVE YOU, IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

IS THAT POSSIBLE OR THEY DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF STRENGTH WITH THE VIEWER SUPPORT?

>> Bonnie: TO.

>> Briana Scurry: I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.

I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY ARE FEELING THAT THEY HAVE TO GO TO THAT LEVEL JUST YET.

I THINK THEY WANT b ÃÃTHE PLAYERS WANT TO BE FRIENDLY, AND BE AMENABLE AND HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATION WITH THE FEDERATION.

THEY DON'T WANT TO BE ADVERSARIAL ALL THE TIME.

AND I THINK IF THEY WENT TOO FAR ON THAT TIP, IT WOULD BECOME A MORE ADVERSARIAL THAN IT ALREADY IS.

AND I THINK IT'S REALLY A POINT NOW WHERE IF THE JUDGE IS MAKING THESE TWO THEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY SAY FACE ON BOTH SIDES.

BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE JUDGE SAID, LET'S DO THIS.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEN THEY CAN GO TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY TRULY ARE ON THE SAME TEAM, BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT LATELY.

>> Bonnie: OKAY.

NOW YOU ALSO MADE HISTORY IN '99 WHEN AFTER YOUR WORLD CUP WIN, THAT THE CAMERAS CAUGHT YOU KISSING YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS OUT OF THE EXHILARATION AND THE MOMENT AND THE INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT.

SO YOU'RE SEEN AS AN LGBTQ ICON HOW DOES THAT FEEL?

>> Briana Scurry: IT'S AMAZING.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY OPEN AND OUT ABOUT MY SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND I'M PROUD OF IT.

AND I b ÃÃHAVE YOU RUN INTO PROBLEMS?

>> Bonnie: >> Briana Scurry: I HAVEN'T I REALLY HAVEN'T RUN INTO PROBLEMS NOT AT LEAST NOT DIRECTLY TO MY FACE ANYWAY.

I MEAN, I CAN'T I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT OTHER PEOPLE MAY SAY BEHIND MY BACK, BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT I'VE FACED TOWARDS ME AND MY TEAMMATES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABSOLUTELY LOVELY WITH ME.

THEY'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT I WAS GAY AND I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT.

ACTUALLY VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

AND SO THAT MOMENT THAT YOU REFERRED TO RUNNING INTO THE STANDS TO KISS MY GIRLFRIEND WOULD ACTUALLY b ÃÃ WHAT ENDED UP BEING VERY INTERESTING TO ME WAS AS SOON AS THEY REALIZED THAT THE CAMERA CUT AWAY AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS VERY INTRIGUING.

AND SO THIS LAST WORLD CUP IN 2015, WHEN ABBY WAMBACH WENT UP TO KISS HER WIFE AT THE TIME, THE CAMERA STAYED THERE.

SO I WAS LIKE, WHEW, THAT'S PROGRESS.

RIGHT?

SO I APPRECIATE ANY PROGRESS AT ANY POINT WITH DIVERSITY AND ACCEPTANCE AND TOLERANCE.

AND SO I'M HONORED AND I'M PROUD TO BE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST LGBT PEOPLE ON THE TEAM, TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST THAT HAVE BEEN OUT AND TO HAVE LONGEVITY ON THE TEAM AND I'M PROUD TO CARRY THAT MANTLE.

>> Bonnie: WHAT ABOUT RACIAL DIVERSITY ON THE TEAM AND IN THE SPORT, GENERALLY?

YOU'RE THE ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN OR WOMAN OF COLOR TO HAVE BEEN INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME.

SO IS THAT FAIR?

OR ARE THERE OTHERS WHO SHOULD BE THERE?

ARE THERE OTHERS WHO WERE ELIMINATED FROM THE SPORT FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER?

WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED?

>> Briana Scurry: I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE.

SHANNON BOX, FOR EXAMPLE, SHE HAS NOT BEEN INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME.

SHE WAS A PLAYER WHO WAS INCREDIBLY INSTRUMENTAL AND HAS NOT BEEN INDUCTED YET.

BUT IT TOOK ME THREE TIMES IT TOOK THE THIRD TIME WAS A CHARM BY THE TIME I GOT IN THERE.

AND SO, FOR ME, I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THE FUTURE.

THERE'S A LOT MORE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN PLAYING ON THE NATIONAL TEAM NOW.

JUST THIS PAST WORLD CUP, YOU SAW YOU SAW IN THIS OLYMPIC GAMES, THERE WILL BE SEVERAL ON THE TEAM AND I THINK IN TIME, I WON'T BE THE ONLY ONE.

SO I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THAT.

>> Bonnie: WHY HAS IT BEEN PREDOMINANTLY A WHITE SPORT, AT LEAST ON THE U.S.

TEAM?

UP UNTIL NOW?

>> Briana Scurry: I THINK THERE'S TWO REASONS FOR THAT.

I THINK ONE REASON IS GEOGRAPHY.

SO SOCCER IS MOSTLY PLAYED IN THE SUBURBAN TOWNS AND CLUBS AND ECONOMICS.

IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I PLAYED, IT WASN'T ALL THAT EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO NOW.

BUT I KNOW NOW, WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW THEN WAS THAT MY COACHES AND OTHER PEOPLE WERE HELPING MY MOM AND DAD PAY FOR ME TO TRAVEL AND TO PLAY BECAUSE MY PARENTS DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO SPEND FOR THAT.

AND SO b ¦¦ >> Bonnie: O IS IT'S MAINLY THE TRAVEL -- I MEAN, WHAT COSTS DO YOU HAVE TO PAY THE COACHES?

>> Briana Scurry: YES.

>> Bonnie: SO THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP FOR THAT AND AT A LOWER LEVEL.

>> Briana Scurry: SO I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO USED TO PLAY SOCCER, SHE'S 16.

AND WE HAD TO PAY FOR HER WHEN SHE PLAYED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS JUST FOR HER TO PLAY ON THE CLUB.

AND THEN THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IF SHE WERE PLAYING TRAVEL.

IT WOULD BE UPWARDS OF SAY SEVEN TO POTENTIALLY $20,000 JUST FOR HER TO BE ABLE TO PLAY AND THAT'S VERY MUCH THE CASE IN ALMOST EVERY HIGH LEVEL SUPER CLUB THAT IS IN THIS COUNTRY NOW.

I MEAN, IT'S A VERY, VERY MUCH PAY TO PLAY SITUATION, WHICH IS VERY UNFORTUNATE AND SO THAT, THAT, THAT THAT THE ECONOMIC PART OF IT AND THEN THE GEOGRAPHY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE IN THE CITY WHERE YOU CAN FIND A SOCCER PITCH OR EVEN BE ABLE TO PUT ONE UP.

AND SO THAT, THAT THAT EXPOSURE IS NOT EXISTING IN THE CITIES AND IT DOES IN THE SUBURBS.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S KEEPING, I THINK A LOT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH FROM CHOOSING TO PLAY THE BEAUTIFUL GAME AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT I THINK THERE'S SOME FOUNDATIONS THAT ARE TRYING TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.

>> Bonnie: NOW, YOU HAVE OF LATE BECOME A BIG ADVOCATE FOR THE INJURIES THAT PARTICULARLY GIRLS GET IN SOCCER.

WHAT ARE THE INJURIES AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP PREVENT THEM?

>> Briana Scurry: SO CONCUSSIONS ARE RAMPANT, RUNNING RAMPANT IN SOCCER, I ENDED MY CAREER UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE I GOT A BLOW TO THE HEAD, A KNEE INSIDE OF MY HEAD.

>> Bonnie: INSIDE?

>> Briana Scurry: HERE ON THE SIDE OF MY HEAD, OKAY, I WAS GOING OUT TO I WAS PLAYING A GAME I WAS GOING OUT TO GET A BALL THAT WAS LOW.

AND THE OPPOSING PLAYER CAME IN TO TRY TO GET HER TOE IN FRONT AND ENDED UP HITTING ME IN THE SIDE OF MY HEAD WITH HER KNEE AND I NEVER SAW HER COMING.

AND I BUNDLED OVER.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THAT WAS THE LAST GAME I PLAYED IN THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, APRIL 2010.

AND THE THREE YEARS AFTER THAT I WAS MISDIAGNOSED, I WAS TOLD I SHOULD BE FINE.

THERE WAS JUST AN ODYSSEY OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO ME THEN AND I ESSENTIALLY DISAPPEARED FROM THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, SCENE OF SOCCER.

AND WHEN I FINALLY DID GET HELP FROM A DOCTOR THAT DID UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND FINALLY DID GET A CHANCE TO FIGHT THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO PAY FOR IT, BECAUSE THEY KEPT TELLING ME NO AND KEPT DENYING MY CLAIMS, WHEN WE FINALLY WON IN COURT AND GOT THE RIGHT TO GET GOOD SURGERY THAT HELPED THE OCCIPITAL NERVES AND THE BACK OF MY HEAD GET BETTER.

SO IT HELPED MY HEADACHES, THEN I DECIDED THAT I WAS GOING TO BECOME AN ADVOCATE, BECAUSE I HAD TO MAKE THAT THREE YEAR ODYSSEY OF ME JUST NOT GETTING THE HELP I NEEDED AND HOW BAD IT GOT MEAN SOMETHING AND TWO, I READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS THAT STATED THAT 50% OF FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS WILL HAVE A CONCUSSION AT SOME POINT IN THEIR CAREER.

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN ALARMING NUMBER.

BUT AS IT IS, IT'S ACTUALLY PROBABLY LOW.

AND I REALIZED THAT I NEEDED TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THIS.

SO I STARTED.

>> Bonnie: AND YOU'RE ALSO AN ASSISTANT COACH.

NOW?

>> Briana Scurry: I WAS.

I WAS AN ASSISTANT COACH IN 2018.

>> Bonnie: FOR THE WASHINGTON SPIRIT?

>> Briana Scurry: YES, I DO HELP THEM.

BUT I'M NO LONGER AN ASSISTANT COACH FOR THEM.

BUT I AM A BIG, BIG ADVOCATE AND A BIG PROPONENT OF THEIRS.

>> Bonnie: SO HOW DO b ÃÃYOU HOW DO YOU JUGGLE TRYING TO COACH I GUESS, SOMETIMES IN SOME WAYS, AND BEING AN ADVOCATE?

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

SO FOR WOULD I WOULD SAY FOR A SAFER SPORT, WHICH COULD BE MADE SAFER WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, HELMETS?

>> Briana Scurry: RIGHT.

>> Bonnie: AND FOR YOU KNOW THAT THE OTHER THING THAT YOU CARE ABOUT DOING?

>> Briana Scurry: YEAH, SO MY POSITION IS INTERESTING ONE, I THINK: I WANT EVERYONE WHO HEARS THE SOUND OF MY VOICE OR SEES THIS WHO'VE EVER SEEN ME DO ANYTHING TO PLAY THE GAME OF SOCCER.

IT IS A GLORIOUS GAME.

IT HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH IN MY LIFE AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR IT.

IT IS DEFINITELY A BEAUTIFUL GAME.

BUT WHAT I ALWAYS DO SAY NOW IS JUST BE SMART ABOUT IT.

YOU CAN PUSH THROUGH AN ANKLE INJURY.

YOU KNOW, I TELL MY PLAYERS YOU CAN PUSH YOU AN ANKLE INJURY, YOU CAN PUSH THROUGH A KNEE INJURY MAYBE A SHOULDER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT IF YOU GET A BLOW TO THE HEAD, THAT'S WHERE THE LINE HAS TO BE DRAWN.

YOU HAVE TO BE SMART ABOUT IT BECAUSE THERE'S NO GAME OR TOURNAMENT OR COACH THAT MAY BE SCOUTING YOU THAT'S GOING TO BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR THAN YOUR BRAIN BECAUSE GETTING A CONCUSSION AFFECTS EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE, YOU KNOW YOU HAVE AN INJURY TO YOUR LOWER LIMBS, YOUR LEGS, YOU MIGHT CRUSHING AROUND, GET A SURGERY, IT'S A FEW MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, MAYBE YOU RECOVER, YOU'RE BACK AT IT.

WITH YOUR BRAIN, YOU HAVE AFFECTED EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE, ESPECIALLY WITH KIDS WHEN THEY'RE YOUNGER.

THEY'RE STILL IN SCHOOL, THEY'RE STILL LEARNING, THEY'RE STILL GROWING.

AND TO b ÃÃTO RISK THAT, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

>> Bonnie: SO WHY DOESN'T THE LEAGUE OR THE FEDERATION REQUIRE PEOPLE TO WEAR HELMETS WHEN THEY'RE PLAYING SOCCER?

>> Briana Scurry: I THINK A HELMET WOULD BE A BIT TOO MUCH AND THE FIFA ORGANIZATION, THE FEDERATION, THAT GOVERNING BODY OF SOCCER IN THE WORLD, ESSENTIALLY IS VERY SHY ABOUT GETTING A LABEL ON THE SPORT OF DANGEROUS.

AND SO I THINK IF THEY MADE A CHANGE LIKE THAT, THAT WHY THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING OF THE SORT.

IT TOOK THEM MANY YEARS JUST TO REQUIRE SHIN GUARDS TO BE MANDATORY.

SO ANYTHING b ÃÃ ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY LONG HAUL.

SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S POSSIBLE.

WHAT I DO THINK THEY SHOULD DO IS INCORPORATE SOME SORT OF HEADGEAR, MAYBE NOT A HELMET, BUT MAYBE A HEADBAND THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN PROTECT AND TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF THE FORCE, ABSORPTION OF THE FORCE OF A HIT AND MAKE THAT SOMETHING THAT'S MANDATORY.

I DON'T SEE ANY HARM IN TRYING IT, AT LEAST AT THE b ¦¦ >> Bonnie: BUT HELMETS, AND I NEED YOU TO ANSWER THIS CORRECTLY, BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT OUT OF TIME, BUT HELMETS ARE PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE IN FOOTBALL, WHICH, OF COURSE IS WHAT SOCCER IS CALLED IN, IN SPANISH AND OTHER LANGUAGES.

SO WHY THE b ÃÃWHY THE PREJUDICE AGAINST A HELMET IN SOCCER AND NOT IN FOOTBALL?

>> Briana Scurry: I THINK THE REASON THAT THE FEDERATION WOULD BE VERY AGAINST THE HELMET IS BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE TO THEN PROTECT THE REST OF THE BODY TOO, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF COLLISIONS THAT OCCUR.

SO IF YOU WERE TO HAVE A HELMET ON AND SOMEBODY WERE TO GO HELMET TO KNEE OR ELBOW, OR ANY OTHER PART OF THE BODY THAT WOULD PROBABLY DO MORE DAMAGE THAN THE HELMET WOULD PROTECT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY COLLISIONS AND SO MANY CONCUSSIONS OCCUR, NOT HEAD TO HEAD, WHERE A HELMET WOULD ACTUALLY HELP.

BUT HEAD TO KNEE, HEAD TO FIST, YOU KNOW, HEAD TO POST AND THAT KIND OF THING.

>> Bonnie: SO WHY IS IT THAT SOME SPORTS ARE ADVANCING MORE QUICKLY IN TRYING TO PROTECT THE ATHLETES THAN OTHERS?

I THINK THE FEDERATION IS.

>> Briana Scurry: PROBABLY ONE OF THE SLOWEST GOVERNING BODIES IN THE WORLD OF ANY SPORT TO MAKE A CHANGE.

IT WASN'T UNTIL RECENTLY, THEY HAD GOAL LINE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK WOULD BE A BRILLIANT IDEA AND NO HARM COULD BEFALL THAT.

YOU WOULD GET THE CALL RIGHT.

SO WHY WOULDN'T YOU INCORPORATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

RIGHT?

THAT'S WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK.

BUT THE FEDERATION UNFORTUNATELY, IS VERY SLOW TO DO ANYTHING AND SO SOMETHING LIKE HELMETS ARE MANDATORY.

ANYTHING OTHER THAN UNIFORM IS OR SHIN GUARDS IS THIS NOT SOMETHING THEY'RE THEY'RE WILLING TO TOUCH.

AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE AND, YOU KNOW, AN EPIDEMIC OF HEAD INJURIES IN THE SPORT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO CHANGE IT.

MAYBE WE'RE GETTING CLOSER.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD ENVIRONMENT FOR CHANGE.

AND I THINK THE IDEA OF SOME SORT OF HEADGEAR, IF IT'S SOFT, I THINK IS APPROPRIATE.

>> Bonnie: WELL, ALL BEST WORK b ÃÃALL BEST LUCK RATHER, IN YOUR WORK.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, BRIANNA.

>> Briana Scurry: THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

IT'S BEEN GREAT.

>> Bonnie: THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF TO THE CONTRARY, PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND VISIT OUR WEB SITE, PBS.org/TOTHECONTRARY.

AND WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK TO THE CONTRARY.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

FOR A TRANSCRIPT OR SEE AN ONLINE EPISODE OF "TO THE CONTRARY," PLEASE VISIT OUR PBS WEBSITE AT PBS.ORG/TOTHECONTRARY.