While most will associate the 1999 Women's World Cup with the famous picture of Brandi Chastain, when I saw this book was offered for review, I picked it up right away as I remembered that Briana Scurry played just as big a role in that historic victory over China as Chastain did. This is a very good sports memoir that many would enjoy reading. Here is my review of "My Greatest Save."
Title/Author: “My Greatest Save: The Brave, Barrier-Breaking Journey of a World
Champion Goaltender” by Briana Scurry with Wayne Coffey
Rating: 4 of
5 stars (very good)
Review: When the United States National Women’s Soccer Team (USNWST) won
the 1999 World Cup, most remember the famous reaction by Brandi Chastain who,
after she scored the winning goal in a penalty kick shootout, she ripped off
her jersey in the celebration. What is
not remembered as much is how the goalkeeper for the team, Briana Scurry, made
an incredible save on one of the kicks from China that made Chastain’s winning
moment possible. Scurry’s career was
very successful, and she discusses that along with her personal life in this
easy-to-read memoir written with Wayne Coffey.
I use the term “easy-to-read” because aside from possibly a few
soccer terms, this is written in simple, conversational language. There is
plenty of humor in snippets that may sound like “dad jokes.” No matter the
topic, even during her darkest time when she had thoughts of suicide, Scurry
writes with a relaxed and mostly even keeled mindset. It seemed amazing that she could discuss
thoughts about jumping off a bridge into rushing water with the same process as
she did about saves made during crucial international matches.
She also writes about social issues that one might expect, given
that she is a high-profile Black lesbian athlete, but she does not step into
any activism or strongly worded statements.
If she has very strong beliefs, they were not present in the book. The best example is when she realized that
she was gay with this statement: “…I was awakening to the reality that I was a
lesbian and was totally at peace with it.
There was no reason for me to issue some sort of declaration and have it
notarized and counter signed.” She also
has similar thoughts on racism as being Black, she experienced it and expressed
her displeasure but stopped short of calling for strong measures.
The best parts of the book, as one might expect, is her memories
of some of the better moments of her soccer career, such as the aforementioned 1999
World Cup along with two gold medals in the 1996 and 2004 Olympics. Goalkeepers have their own sets of training,
conditioning, drills and camaraderie – and Scurry brings all of those to the
reader with great recollections of game action, of interactions with teammates
and opponents and the joys and sorrows of important wins and losses.
While the title might make a reader expect a book with very dramatic
passages, this book really doesn’t have those – instead, a reader will go on a
journey into the world of a goalkeeper who left her mark in international and
American soccer and wants to share it all with the readers.
I wish to thank Abrams Press for providing a copy of the book via
NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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