Subscribe
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Capt. Briana Allen, Marine officer instructor at the University of South Carolina and winner of the 2023 Marine Athlete of the Year, is here supporting the Marine Corps Recruiting Command’s efforts as part of the national partnership program designed to connect with coaches from around the country during the American Volleyball Coaches Association Convention Dec. 19 to 20, 2024.
"The Marine Corps shares many of the same values important to AVCA like grit, determination and teamwork," said Lt. Col. Anton Semelroth, national director for marketing and communication, MCRC, following his presentation of the Battles Won Award.
The Marine Corps hopes to strengthen relationships with coaches and showcase the Marine Corps' purpose, values, and service opportunities.
"It was an honor to share the stage with Captain Allen,” said Semelroth. “She exemplifies the fighting spirit found in every Marine, and instills confidence that, with warriors like her, our Nation and its future are in good hands.”
Allen grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota. As the oldest child Allen spent most of her childhood helping to take care of her family and focusing on school. It wasn’t until her freshman year of high school that Allen began to play basketball for her high school team.
“It wasn’t until my friend’s dad had suggested I play basketball that I started playing for my high school team,” said Allen. “After that I fell in love with the sport.”
Allen attended The College of Saint Scholastica after high school, where she played basketball at a collegiate level. She played competitively during her time in college and through playing had formed lifelong connections.
“I don’t think I would’ve been as into my college experience and community if it weren’t for basketball,” she said. “I’m still friends with some of those girls to this day.”
Allen discovered the Marine Corps through an educator’s workshop she attended in the spring of 2017. After attending she said she’d immediately fallen in love with the Marine Corps.
“It was like all of a sudden everything aligned, and I’d finally found something that really spoke to me,” she said.
Allen became a Marine Corps officer in 2018. Upon commissioning Allen discovered applications for the Marine Corps Basketball team through a Marine Corps Administrative Message that had been released. A few years into her Marine Corps career, Allen applied for the team and was accepted in 2023. Her first year on the team, as Allen described, was an unbelievable experience.
“I would show up to the gym and think ‘I can’t believe I’m getting paid to do this,’” she said. “I was in shock and awe that I got to play basketball as a Marine Corps captain.”
She expressed that an immediate connection and community was formed within her first practice. Getting to be around people from all different backgrounds and coming together to play basketball for the Marine Corps was a great feeling, said Allen.
Allen described one of her favorite moments as receiving her official jersey alongside her teammates.
“I think a really cool moment was getting our Marine Corps jerseys,” she said. “It was amazing that I got to wear Marines across my chest with pride.”
Through the challenges and successes of her time on the All-Marine Female Basketball team, Allen mentioned those who she felt particularly supported and inspired by that helped her to become the outstanding athlete and Marine she is today.
“1st Sgt. Christopher Harris, who was on the All-Marine Men’s Basketball Team, embodied what you wanted in a leader,” said Allen “When I found myself struggling, I would call and ask for guidance and mentorship from him.”
She spoke about how he helped her to navigate the responsibility as captain of her basketball team during her second season and guided her on ways to keep a positive mindset through her challenges on and off the court.
She also spoke on how grateful she was to have a command that was supportive of her aspirations to play basketball for the Marine Corps.
“They wanted to give me back my time and reward me for the work that I gave to the unit,” she said.
Allen stated how supportive the Marine Corps is to those who have the desire to pursue ambitions outside of their primary occupation. The Marine Corps has programs like basketball available because they want to see Marines do great things in and outside of their career fields, she said. The opportunities and support that the Marine Corps gives is to help make you a better person, a better leader, and a better Marine.
“When you better yourself, you better the Marine Corps,” said Allen.
In 2023, Allen was named athlete of the year for the Marine Corps. She attributed this success to the well-rounded leadership that she possesses and confidence that she’s built since joining the Marine Corps. She remarked on how her athletic ability gave her the building blocks to succeed and her character attributes as a leader made her stand out as the Marine athlete of the year.
“Athletics laid the foundation for me and the Marine Corps fine-tuned it,” she said.
Allen plans to continue working as the Marine officer instructor at the University of South Carolina as she works on completing her masters in coaching education at the same university. She will keep playing for the All-Marine Female Basketball team.
To those who are interested in pursuing athletics, Allen advised on how the Marine Corps could be a great opportunity to grow in one’s future career as an athlete.
“It is a unique opportunity,” she said. “You’re joining an organization that will expect one hundred percent from you and give one hundred percent to you.”
Allen affirmed the once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to play basketball as a Marine Corps officer, a profession she never thought possible for herself before the Marine Corps. She expressed the exponential growth she’s seen in herself, not only as an athlete, but as a person since becoming an officer.
As she stated, “A huge transition has taken place between civilian Briana and Marine Corps Capt. Allen.”
| Date Taken: | 12.20.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.23.2024 13:07 |
| Story ID: | 488229 |
| Location: | LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 9 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Capt. Briana Allen: Exemplifying What It Means To Be An Athlete At The AVCA Convention, by LCpl Anya Poteet, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
