Speaking
Book Blake for your event
Hockey Trailblazer. Broadcaster. Speaker.
Blake speaks to schools, hockey programs, teams and community events. She can hold a full auditorium, then sit down with a small group and talk about what they are actually facing.
Download speaker one-sheet (PDF)(opens in a new tab)
Speaker reel
Watch Blake speak
Two and a half minutes from one of her talks: learning to skate pushing a chair, being cut and called uncoachable, the call that brought her to the Boston Blades, and the young girl who told Blake she started playing because of her.
As seen on
- ESPN
- NHL Network
- Amazon Prime
- Sportsnet
- Sports Illustrated
- The Players' Tribune
One of the things I am most passionate about is inspiring, teaching, and connecting with the next generation. They are our future.
Blake Bolden
Topics
A few of her topics, each from her own career
These are a starting point, not a menu. Blake has more to draw on, and every talk is shaped for the people in the room. Tell us who they are and what you want them to leave with.
- 01
Facing Adversity
Firsts come with pressure. Blake was the first Black player in the NWHL and the second woman to scout in the NHL, and this talk is about carrying that weight.
- 02
Using Failure as a Tool
How to treat a bad game, a missed chance or a no as information instead of a verdict.
- 03
Getting Used to Being Uncomfortable
From Ohio youth hockey to Lake Placid, Boston, Switzerland and the Kings, every step started somewhere new.
- 04
Trusting the Process
Two championship cups came after years of early mornings nobody saw. What daily work looks like when the payoff is far away.
- 05
Following Intuition
Moving from the ice to scouting to the broadcast booth meant making calls without a map. How to hear your gut and act on it.
- 06
Taking Advantage of Your Current Situation
The team, school or job you have right now is the place to start. How to use it.
Every topic also works for corporate and association audiences: leadership, resilience, inclusion and performance under pressure.
Speaking for
Find the talk for your event
- Black History Month SpeakerA first-person story of breaking barriers in hockey, for February assemblies and company events.
- Women's History Month SpeakerA women in sports speaker for March events at schools, companies and athletic departments.
- Women's Leadership Keynote SpeakerA women's leadership keynote for networks, conferences and leadership programs.
- DEI and Inclusion SpeakerA DEI and inclusion speaker who did inclusion work inside an NHL club.
- School Assembly SpeakerAssemblies, prep schools and commencements, with small-group time for students.
- Corporate Keynote SpeakerLeadership and resilience keynotes for companies, associations and conferences.
- Youth Hockey SpeakerFor youth and girls' hockey programs, banquets and team events.
- Something elseTell us about your event and who will be in the room. Every talk is shaped for it.
Formats
Talks
A full talk for an assembly, a banquet or a conference room, shaped for who is listening.
Small groups
Blake loves connecting with kids in small groups, hearing from them and helping with their specific needs.
Meet-ups and Q&A
An open conversation after a talk or on its own. Students and athletes ask what they actually want to know.
Who books Blake
- Corporate keynotes, women's networks and ERGs
- Heritage-month and leadership events
- Associations, conferences, luncheons and community events
- Schools, student assemblies and commencements
- Youth and girls' hockey programs
- Teams, clubs and sports organizations
Blake's visit was a total hit with our community, and the kids especially got so much out of her talks. She's amazing in the way that she can command a full room and then also connect so deeply with a small group of kids around a lunch table. I really appreciate the time and effort she put into tailoring the message for different audiences; they'll take her advice into all the spaces they go, both in sports and in life.
Carly Rodriguez
Director of Communications, The Thacher School
On stage
In the room
Questions organizers ask
Where is Blake based?
Southern California. Include your event's location in the inquiry and travel gets worked out from there.
What does it cost to book Blake?
Speaking fees start at $7,500. Travel outside Southern California is quoted separately, and multi-session school and team visits are packaged on request.
Can she tailor the talk to our audience?
Yes. Every talk is shaped for the room, whether that is middle schoolers, college athletes, coaches or staff.
Can we book more than a talk?
Yes. Small group sessions, meet-ups and Q&A can run alongside a talk or on their own.
What should we include in the inquiry?
The date, the place, who will be in the room and roughly how many, and what you want them to leave with. The more detail, the faster you get a real answer.
Inquire
Tell us about your event
This goes straight to Blake and her team.
Prefer email? wearebecomingbold@gmail.com