Valkyries, Say Less
Podcast Description
🎙️ Valkyries, Say LessHosted by Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely & Raina MastTwo former high school hoopers turned San Francisco moms, teachers, and entrepreneurs team up to bring you the podcast you didn’t know you needed — all about our brand-new hometown WNBA heroes: the Golden State Valkyries.We’re here for the vibes, the victories, and whatever’s cooking at concession. Whether you’re a WNBA superfan, a mom looking for community, or just here to figure out which Valkyrie to cheer for, this is your go-to pod for:🏀 Player + coach back stories and behind the scenes🍔 Chase Center eats + recs🗞️ Bite-sized basketball updates (no ESPN deep scroll required)🎧 Tidbits, laughs, and insider energy only locals can bring“Valkyries, Say Less” is where Bay Area pride meets courtside fun. Press play and hang with us — it’s going to be a good time.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes around women's basketball, community engagement, and local culture, with episode topics ranging from player and coach backstories, like Coach Natalie Nakase's inspiring journey, to discussions about Chase Center dining options and short basketball updates, all infused with relatable humor and Bay Area pride.
🎙️ Valkyries, Say Less
Hosted by Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely & Raina Mast
Two former high school/D3 hoopers turned San Francisco teachers, moms, artists and entrepreneurs (we’re tryin!) team up to bring you the podcast you didn’t know you needed — all about our brand-new hometown WNBA heroes: the Golden State Valkyries.
We’re here for the vibes, the victories, and whatever’s cooking at concession! Whether you’re a WNBA superfan or just here to figure out which Valkyrie to cheer for, this is your go-to pod for:
🏀 Player + coach back stories and behind the scenes
🍔 Chase Center eats + recs
🗞️ Bite-sized basketball updates (no ESPN deep scroll required)
🎧 Tidbits, laughs, and insider energy only Ballhalla locals can bring
“Valkyries, Say Less” is where Bay Area pride meets courtside fun. Press play and hang with us! It’s going to be a good time.
Season 2, Episode 5: Bonus Pop-Up Episode | Player Interviews, French Connections & Watch Party Excitement
In this special bonus pop-up episode (okay, it’s really just Episode 5!), Raina and Vanessa recap an exciting stretch of Valkyries coverage that included player interviews, press conferences, and a whole lot of French-speaking basketball fun.
We dive into our recent interviews conducted in French with Janelle Salaün and Carla Leite, sharing behind-the-scenes moments, standout takeaways, and what it was like connecting with these players in their native language. We are so thrilled to partner with MerciSF for this new adventure.
We also revisit two recent press conferences where Vanessa had the opportunity to ask Janelle questions in French, creating some memorable moments for French-speaking Valkyries fans, as well as the non-French speaking ones who love to see how Janelle's body language transforms when she speaks French.
Along the way, we clear up the correct pronunciation of Janelle's last name, as well as tackle the pronunciation of Justė Jocytė name and discuss why getting players’ names right matters, as well as why it's important to talk to them in their home language.
Finally, we wrap things up with details about our upcoming watch party:
Thursday, June 4
Valkyries vs. Lynx (Away Game)
Rikki’s, San Francisco
We’re thrilled to announce that we have a new sponsor (Bailard!) who has generously provided:
- Limited-edition watch party t-shirts featuring our logo, their logo, and the slogan “Everyone Watches the Valks”
- A bar tab for attendees
- First 50 fans are on Bailard!
Come hang out with fellow Valkyries fans, grab a shirt, enjoy a drink, and cheer on the Valks with us.
Coming Soon: We’ll be updating these show notes with links to the full interview videos with Janelle Saluan and Carla Leite in the coming days.
Merci for listening, and as always…
Say less. Go Valks. Allez Les Violettes.
Thanks for listening to ”Valkyries, Say Less”!
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are our own and not affiliated with the WNBA, the Golden State Valkyries, or any official organization.
🎙 Co-Hosted by Raina Mast — multimedia artist, educator, musician, and of course…ex-High School/D3 hooper.
🎙 Co-hosted by Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely — meditation and PE teacher, writer, founder of Big Belly Breathing, and of course…ex-High School hooper.
Follow along for more episodes and community love as we celebrate the Golden State Valkyries and everything they stand for!
💜 Follow us on Instagram & don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share if this brought some lavender joy to your day!
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