Secrets of Success: Insights from Megan Rapinoe's World-Class Soccer Career

by Megan Linehan

Overview

A helpful guide for Rapinoe fans looking to apply her wisdom to their own lives!

In the summer of 2019, the US women's national soccer team offered fans a thrill when it won its fourth World Cup title and second straight, culminating in a 2–0 final over the Netherlands. Co-captain Megan Rapinoe led the team to victory with a penalty kick to score the first goal and ultimately captured MVP and top goal scorer designations for the tournament. The winger has also led the US to a gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics.

In addition to her athletic success, Rapinoe has proven to be a leader off the field as well. A vocal advocate on behalf of several LGBT organizations and a voice behind the women's team's equal pay complaint, she is one of many players involved in the gender discrimination lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation. 

In Secrets of Success, the latest book in the Women in Power series, author Meg Linehan translates Rapinoe's success both on and off the field into digestible leadership lessons. In doing so, she draws from Rapinoe's still-young career as an athlete, businesswoman, and advocate.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510757219
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	06/01/2021
Series:	Women in Power Series
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	1,002,749
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Meg Linehan is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the US women’s national team, the National Women’s Soccer League, and the wider world of women’s soccer. Previously, she worked at the media branch of the NWSL. Linehan's work has also appeared in Equalizer Soccer, Vice Sports, Teen Vogue, Unusual Efforts, and other outlets. A member of the American Women in Sports Media, she resides in New York City.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

1 The journey will shape you, but never forget where you came from and your fundamental values 1

2 Be authentic to who you are, even when it's tough 19

3 Let your identity guide you 31

4 Your identity and your values must result in solidarity and allyship 49

5 Know your worth. If others don't see it, take matters into your own hands 69

6 Stand your ground on equality, always 91

7 You must do your part to change the world around you 117

8 Demand accountability from those with power 133

9 Use your privilege to lift others up. Throw down your ladders 145

10 Grant recognition to those who paved the way, and let them help show you the way forward 153

11 Don't listen when people tell you to stay in your lane 169

12 Celebrate the wins 191

Conclusion 203

Acknowledgments 209

Editorial Reviews

"When you think of women's soccer writing in the USA, one name rings out above all others: Meg Linehan. She is arguably the most dedicated multi-platform soccer journalist in the country. Her knowledge and history of the women's game has made her a respected leader in the industry, and the most trusted source for fans worldwide. 

"Linehan's work is focused and invigorating. This book is a gift to fans, athletes, and the greater soccer community. Linehan's writing shines as she pens a mighty book about America's most outspoken and treasured soccer player.

"Secrets of Success not only offers insight into Megan Rapinoe's legendary career, but provides the reader with stories of her conviction and passion through Linehan's beautifully crafted words. This book is a must-read for every sports fan but above all—those aspiring to be excellent humans."
—Shireen Ahmed, sportswriter & co-host of the Burn It All Down Podcast 

"In Secrets of Success, the must-read new book by Meg Linehan, the world gets a step-by-step look inside how Megan Rapinoe built her identity—as a defining soccer player of this generation, as a vital touchstone for the identity of so many Americans who were voiceless for too long—destroying every stereotyped limitation of what it means to be a woman in sports, a lesbian in the public eye, along the way. Discover what it's meant to become Megan Rapinoe, a journey fully revealed here, and learn about yourself in the process. Linehan, who has covered Rapinoe as closely as any journalist for the past decade, distills her story and the wisdom Rapinoe has gleaned from it into this masterful text about how one person can, as Rapinoe puts it, 'do your part to change the world.'"
—Howard Megdal, Founder/Editor, The IX Newsletter

"Few athletes have become a truly global, cultural icon outside of their game like Megan Rapinoe. If even she can decenter herself and focus on how to make an impact in today’s world, the rest of us are out of excuses. With unique perspectives on allyship, authenticity, using privilege to foster change, and celebrating our successes (The Pose or otherwise), Linehan articulates how all of us—from couch surfers to superstars—can do the work."
—Jeff Rueter, staff writer, The Athletic

From the Publisher