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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 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.

Support the show

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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Valkyries, Say Less — Season 2, Episode 4

Season 2, Episode 4 is a good one.

This week, we spotlight the incredible Kiah Stokes in our latest player profile. Kiah comes to the Golden State Valkyries with a long and impressive résumé, including more than a decade in the WNBA with powerhouse organizations like the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces. Her arrival in Golden State makes complete sense given her strong connections to teammates, head coach Natalie Nakase and assistant coach Sugar Rodgers.

Beyond the WNBA, Kiah’s basketball journey includes legendary programs and international success, from University of Connecticut to Fenerbahçe Women’s Basketball. She’s someone who knows winning, values teamwork, and quietly elevates everyone around her every time she steps on the court. We love Kiah Stokes!

And yes… did we finish the episode with a mini curated San Francisco itinerary inspired by Kiah Stokes’ vibe and preferences? Yes. Yes, we did.

In this episode, we also recap our May 8th watch party at Rikki's Women's Only Sports Bar for the Valkyries home opener, plus our first community cleanup with Refuse Refuse. We’re doing it again on 5/25, so come help us clean around Chase before the game. Register here.

Also happening on 5/25: our first-ever poster-making session. We’ll bring the posters and markers, you bring the creativity, chaos, rhymes, and Valkyries energy. Meet us at Gott's Roadside at 5pm before heading into Ballhalla.

We also checked out a new local watch spot, Scarlet Fox, a cozy wine bar near the Panhandle that turned out to be a perfect place to catch the game if you're looking for something other than big sports bar energy.

Huge thanks again to Kuli Kuli, Dr. Oviedo, and SF Cocktail Club for donating wonderful products for our May 8 raffle and community event.

Go Valks. V's up.

Support the show

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!

Send us Fan Mail

This Is — Season 2, Episode 3

Bienvenue, Gabby Williams!

Our first player profile of Season 2 is here, and we’re kicking it off with one of the most dynamic two-way players in the game: Gabby Williams.

French-American, fierce on defense, and fresh off her move from the Seattle Storm, Gabby brings an impressive résumé to the Bay: WNBA success, championships and standout performances in EuroLeague, and major contributions to the France women's national basketball team. In this episode, we talk about so many different ways that make Gabby such a unique and important part of our violet team.

We’re also inviting our Valks community to join us for our Season Opener Watch Party on May 8 at Rikki's! Come hang out and celebrate the start of the regular season together.

Plus: a special clip from Vincent Yuen of Refuse Refuse about upcoming community cleanup parties on 5/10 and 5/25 around Chase Center before the games. Building community means showing up for the city, too :)

Say less.

Season 2 is just getting started.

P.S. Thank you to our new sponsors: Kuli Kuli, SF Cocktail Club and Raina's orthodontist Dr Oviedo! They are providing us with product for our raffle and half-time giveaways during our Watch Party.

Support the show

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!