As an athletic five-year-old daydreaming under the bed, Brianne Brinker thought she was maybe a girl. But that truth was locked deep inside a vault as she grew up navigating the hyper-masculine world of Division I men's hockey-as a player, coach, husband, father, and college athletic administrator. Skating Out of the Vault is her powerful memoir of identity, resilience, and late-in-life transition. With raw honesty and hard-won grace, Brianne reveals how she broke free from the game of masculinity-and what it really means to win. "If Brianne's story doesn't touch your heart with joy, I don't know what will." -Christa Grant, SUNY Asst. Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence and Operations "Brianne's memoir is reflective, empathetic, and unwavering in her honesty. Her authenticity and support inspired me to find my own voice as a queer person, and I don't doubt that readers will find the same inspiration in her words." -Adrian Ring, Union College class of 2024 "Her journey is truly inspiring, and it offers the audience a glimpse into her personal experiences that are rooted in authenticity and resilience. Her stories allow me to think about my role as an ally and how I can continue supporting the LGBTQIA community." -Christa Grant, SUNY Asst. Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Excellence and Operations "I have had the pleasure of working with and knowing Brianne Brinker for over 25 years. I watched her navigate the many discussions, emotions, transitions and decisions that were needed for her to get to this point of sharing this unique story. Brianne had to struggle with sharing her true self with her wife, children, work supervisors, coaches, students and many more. She did this with caution, pride, and emotional intelligence. This story needs to be read by trans and non-trans youth and adults who will find the experiences in this book similar to their experiences. "You will be educated on the true struggles, emotional toils, and triumphs of members of our trans community. Brianne is amazingly brilliant - she brings you into her story as a youngster, and shares her life journey through the challenges, the a-ha moments, the pain, and the joy." -Gretchel Hathaway, PhD Brianne Brinker, a former NCAA Division I men's hockey goalie and coach, publicly transitioned in her 50s while serving as Assistant Athletic Director at Union College. Her memoir explores identity, love, and resilience. A speaker and advocate, she coaches players of all ages and plays for Team Trans, re-igniting her hockey passion. Brianne lives in Schenectady, NY with her fiancé Laur, sharing her love for hockey and Latin dance.