Oct 11, 2022
Well Known Sports Keynote Speakers
Anyone who has played a sport knows there’s more to it than physical prowess. Athletes learn how to think quickly and make decisions under pressure, how to handle success and failure, how to lead and motivate others, and how to be part of a team.
The skills that athletes learn through competition can be applied to any number of real-world situations, making them better prepared to meet the challenges of life head-on. In that way, sports can be seen as a microcosm for life itself. And like life, the best way to excel is to never stop learning and growing.
From Super Bowl winners, to Guinness World Record Holders, famous coaches, and Olympic gold medalists, here are some of the most well known sports keynote speakers that you and your audience can learn from.
Well Known Sports Keynote Speakers
Magic Johnson is a top business keynote speaker, former NBA great, and Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. Still a commanding presence in popular culture, Johnson made history in 2012 when he became co-owner of MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers. He also co-owns the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club, and eSports franchise Team Liquid.
Bethany Hamilton is a top motivational speaker who has become a source of inspiration to millions through her story of determination, faith, and hope. At the age of thirteen, the young surfer lost her left arm to a 14-foot tiger shark. With resilience and tenacity, she returned to the water a month later; and within two years had won her first national title. Her remarkable story has been told in a best-selling autobiography and in the 2011 blockbuster sensation film, Soul Surfer.
Lance Armstrong is a top motivational keynote speaker and seven-time Winner of the Tour de France. One of the world’s best cyclists by the age of 25, Lance Armstrong’s competitive nature helped him confront late-stage testicular cancer that had spread to his abdomen, lungs and brain. In 1997, he established the Lance Armstrong Foundation, now known by its powerful brand – LIVESTRONG® –
Jen is a top motivational keynote speaker, author, and the first female NFL coach in league history. Drawing from her gridiron experience, she inspires audiences on the importance of authentic leadership, the power of diverse teams, and achieving what others say is impossible.
James Lawrence is a top motivational speaker, endurance world record holder, triathlete, and subject of the documentary The Iron Cowboy: The Story of the 50.50.50. Known to the world as The Iron Cowboy for wearing a cowboy hat during Ironman races, James completed the greatest feat of human endurance: 50 full distance triathlons, in 50 states, in 50 consecutive days (50.50.50). His combination of energy, humor, determination, and achievements captivates his audience and creates an inspirational and awakening phenomenon for all.
Brandi Chastain has excelled for the past 20 years as being one of the most famous female soccer players in the world. Brandi became a part of history as she joined the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team and competed in the first World Championship. In 1996 she led the United States to a Gold Medal at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, a feat she repeated in 2004 in Athens, Greece. She has been featured around the world as a spokesperson for Nike, Volvo, Powerbar, Gallery Furniture and 24-Hour Fitness, among others. Brandi is also cofounder of the nonprofit BAWSI (Bay Area women’s sports initiative).
Mike Tyson was one of the most feared boxers in the ring – and one look at his resume proves he is one of boxing’s greats. Aside from having been the undisputed heavyweight champion, Mike is also the youngest boxer to win the WBA, WBC, and IBF world heavyweight titles, and also the first to hold these titles simultaneously. In 2011, he was also inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame and in March 2012, into the WWE Hall of Fame. Tenacious, talented, and thrilling to watch, Tyson embodies the grit and electrifying excitement of the sport.
Mikaela Shiffrin is an American alpine ski racer who is the 2014 defending World Cup champion and FIS Alpine World Ski Champion in the slalom event. At just 18 years old, Mikaela was named to the 2014 United States ski team picked to represent the nation at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Mikaela, heralded as “The Next Lindsey Vonn,”was featured on 1 of 4 commemorative covers of the Olympic preview edition of Sports illustrated magazine.
Coach Mike Brown
Mike Brown is a leadership and teamwork keynote speaker, Head Coach of the Sacramento Kings, and winner of NBA Coach of the Year. Over his career, Mike has won four NBA Championships as an assistant coach and became the second-youngest head coach in NBA history when he took over the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his exciting talks based on his NBA coaching career, Mike shows audiences that building a winning team culture is less about strategy and more about being selfless and connected.
Julia Landauer is a motivational speaker using her racing platform to advocate for STEM education, women’s empowerment, leadership, risk analysis, and working with fear.
Pump up your audience with a well known sports keynote speaker at your upcoming event! Contact info@bigspeak.com to inquire.