Gabrielle Briseno is a coach and leader passionate about developing young female athletes through soccer. Inspired by her own competitive youth experience, she focuses on building confident leaders on and off the field, emphasizing strong team culture, mental strength, and growth. Her dad, Mike Briseno, has been her biggest influence and mentor throughout her soccer journey. She’s excited for the continued growth of women’s soccer, wants more access for Arizona girls to watch women’s pros, and would invest funding to help families who need financial support in youth soccer. Fun facts: she loves karaoke, her current anthem is “Don’t Stop Me Now” (Queen), and she lives by the quote: “Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles.”
1.What is your name?
Gabrielle Briseno
2. What inspired you to first get involved in soccer, and what keeps you passionate about it today?
Playing soccer, going to practice and competing in games was the best part of my week growing up. I learned so many lessons I carry with me everyday in work and life by playing youth competitive soccer. I am passionate about cultivating a strong community of young females to motivate, support, and challenge each other to be the best versions of themselves on and off the field each day.
3. What does leadership in soccer mean to you personally?
To me, leadership in soccer means ensuring I guide my players technically and tactically for the field, but most important mentally on and off the field. Leading my players means bringing out their best qualities and helping grow and refine them, and ensuring they are becoming more confident in themselves as leaders as well.
4. What’s your standout moment either as a player, coach, administrator or in other role?
As a coach, my stand out moment has been seeing my 2013 girls continue to lead and push each other to compete at a high-level, embrace challenge and change, and continue to cultivate a positive team culture. They set standards high and embrace leadership roles. Getting to watch them grow and continue to hold these values as a team is truly a feeling that is hard to explain. Being their coach was an amazing opportunity and they have a fan for life!
5.If you weren’t actively participating in the development of youth soccer, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
I think I would be taking on more leadership roles as an educator and spending more time with my family!
6.What are you most excited about for the future of women’s soccer?
I am excited to watch the game keep growing and exposing more young females to strong females leaders. I believe little girls seeing others doing as they dream is important to continue to grow the game for women’s soccer.
7. Who has been the most influential person in your soccer journey, and why?
My dad, Mike Briseno has been the most influential person in my soccer journey for my entire life and still helps mentor me today. Growing up and in any role he played, whether he was my coach or my dad on the field, he knew how much competing meant to me and always pushed me and supported me in any goals I had for myself. He worked hard to make sure he helped me to grow confident and guide me as a leader on my team as well. To this day, he helps support me on the sidelines by coming to my games, talking through any obstacle I face as a coach, and leading his own teams and our club with strong values and never straying from them.
8.If you had to form a 3v3 team of past and present female soccer players, what would be your pick?.
Brandi Chastain, Tobin Heath, Marta
9.An angel investor has offered you $1m to grow the game of women’s soccer, how would you invest this money?
I would invest money to help families and teams that need financial support in youth soccer!
10.Can you share a piece of advice for the future generation of women who are passionate about a career in soccer?
Stay strong and confident and lead with passion! Other young females needs strong females to look up to!
11.If you could be remembered for one contribution to the game, what would it be?
I hope to be remembered for instilling a passion for soccer and team, and a deep desire to grow and improve always!
13.What’s one change you would love to see in women’s soccer in the next 5 years?
I would like to see more access for young females to watch women professionals play, especially in Arizona!
14.If you could play a match anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Wembley Stadium!
15.If you could switch places with any player ‘past or present’ for a day, who would it be?
Marta
16.If you could invent a new soccer rule for fun, what would it be?.
On a free kick, the whistle does not always have to wait for the whistle to keep up the speed of play and momentum of the game.
17.What’s a fun fact about yourself that most people don’t know?
I absolutely love to sing and do karaoke!
18.What song would you choose as a soundtrack to your life right now?
Don’t Stop Me Now by QUEEN
19.What’s your favorite quote?
“Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles.”