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USL’s Dr. Christopher Busey Receives Prestigious Hercules Award for Advancing Diversity in Soccer

By USL Communications, 01/15/25, 10:30AM EST

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Award, voted by peers, honors Dr. Busey’s leadership in advancing opportunities for Black coaches

CHICAGO – The United Soccer League is proud to announce that Dr. Christopher Busey, Vice President of DEI and Community Impact (DEI), has been honored with the Black Soccer Coaches Hercules Award. The award was presented during the Black Soccer Coaches Legends Social at the 2025 United Soccer Coaches Convention.

Dr. Busey was recognized for his significant contributions to advancing the Black soccer community. His leadership of the USL Forward program has paved the way for coaching education pathways and created opportunities for coaches from underserved communities across the country. In 2024, he spearheaded the inaugural Pro Preseason Residence, enabling five high-performing minority and female coaches to train and learn alongside professional coaches within the USL ecosystem.

First presented in 2023, the Hercules Award is voted on by members of the Black soccer coaches’ community of the United Soccer Coaches. It recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership within the Black community and champion social and economic equality.

“I am humbled to have received the 2025 Hercules Award from the Black Soccer Coaches Community of the United Soccer Coaches,” Dr. Busey said. “This is a meaningful award for me as it comes from a group of peers who have created a means for collective self-recognition and steadfast determination within our diasporic, multi-national community. I see this award as an opportunity to reflect on the unifying force that is soccer, and its potential when we work collectively to usher progress through the game, one step and one community at a time.”

Dr. Busey joined USL in 2023, bringing over a decade of experience in academia, where he focused on implementing equity-oriented solutions in higher education and sports. He is also the founder of Level Field Sports, a research and consulting firm that identifies barriers of entry for participants in sports organizations.

 

About USL Forward

USL Forward is USL’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program that began in 2024. The leaguewide initiative prioritizes professional development for technical staff, league and club executives, and local communities.

About United Soccer League

Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League (USL) is the largest and fastest-growing soccer organization in the United States, impacting more than 200 communities nationwide. The USL is the first and only organization to offer a comprehensive youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one ecosystem. This structure includes three men’s leagues: the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III), and USL League Two (pre-professional). The women’s pathway includes the top-tier USL Super League (Division I), which debuted in 2024, and USL W League, the country’s leading pre-professional women’s league. The USL also oversees USL Academy, a progressive talent development platform, and USL Youth, a premier national youth platform.

With multi-year national and international media rights agreements across various platforms including CBS Sports, ESPN and Peacock, the USL is the most widely accessible soccer league in the country.

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