By Zach White
The burgeoning buzz surrounding the Golden State Valkyries has led to an outpouring of fervent support, through a raucous in-person atmosphere at the Chase Center and through online spaces.
In the 2025 season, the Valkyries became the first Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) franchise to reach the playoffs in its first year in the league, led by Coach of the Year winner Natalie Nakase and the team’s top-scorer, forward Kayla Thornton.
Friends Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely and Raina Mast, a duo of Richmond District educators, creators and parents, have captured the intrigue of San Francisco’s newest professional sports franchise, covering the happenings of “Ballhalla” on their podcast titled, “Valkyries, Say Less.”
The podcast, which was mentioned in a recent New York Times article, dates back to the beginning of the Valkyries’ inaugural season, with its first episode being recorded after Hutchinson and Mast attended the team’s home opener against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Richmond District residents and longtime teachers Raina Mast (left) and Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely captured the intrigue of San Francisco’s newest professional sports franchise, the Golden State Valkyries professional women’s basketball team, with their podcast called “Valkyries, Say Less.” Photo courtesy of Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely and Raina Mast.
“We recorded the first episode on Mother’s Day in May,” Hutchinson said. “I’m a mindfulness instructor and creator so I knew that it was very simple to get a podcast going, and I said, ‘Raina, come over and let’s do it.’ We quickly realized that we have very different sounding voices, very complimentary exchanges, vibes and personalities. The first episode was mostly about us, and why we were doing this.”
Long-standing connections to the game of basketball drew the pair toward the Valkyries. Hutchinson was a high school player and now teaches physical education at Roosevelt Middle School. Mast played college basketball at both Dickinson College in Pennsylvania and the University of Queretaro in Mexico, and is the daughter of former NBA player Eddie Mast, who played for the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks.
Though this appreciation for the sport itself intrigued the duo, it was the “special” togetherness of the gathered crowd that led them to pursue telling the team’s story in podcast form, according to Mast.
“Last spring, I think the whole Bay Area needed something positive to rally around,” Mast said. “(Attending the Valkyries game) was a slap in the face of joyfulness. Some people there had never watched basketball before, but we all made this covenant to stay until the end of the game, even when we lose. I missed getting together with people around something we all believed in. So (Hutchinson and I) decided, ‘Let’s talk about this. Let’s process it.’”
Recording sessions for the “Valkyries, Say Less” podcast take place inside a bedroom studio in Hutchinson’s Richmond District home, in a room the pair have dubbed “Bunk Bed Studio.” In the cozy confines of a pink-colored and bedazzled bedroom, the duo records their podcast, with each episode’s format being largely focused on a specific member of the Valkyries team.
“Each episode is about a different player,” Mast said. “It’s their backstory. Basically, giving praise to where they came from, how they got here and all the hard work and everything that they’ve been through. It focuses on how this person is amazing at what they do. We are here to tell you the back stories and do the research so that when you’re watching them, it’s like you’re watching your besties.”
While the content of the podcast focuses on the life and career of each Valkyrie player, both of the hosts are similarly focused on bringing awareness towards the players’ ongoing fight for greater pay equity.
“(These players) are not getting paid enough,” Hutchinson said, emphasizing the importance of the podcast in spreading awareness on the issue. “We discovered how incredible each individual athlete and coach on the team is, and how the contracts for the WNBA are up for negotiation. We ended up deciding another role for us is to amplify how incredible these women are and highlight how underpaid they are.”
Raina Mast (left) and Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely record their podcast about the Golden State Valkyries in “Bunk Bed Studio” in Hutchinson’s Richmond District home. Photo courtesy of Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely and Raina Mast.
Having produced a full season’s worth of podcasts, the minds behind “Valkyries, Say Less” are already looking forward to the next season full of insightful discussions, friendly podcast dialogue and fierce competition by their beloved team. Until the Valkyries return to action at the Chase Center, Hutchinson and Mast are planning on continuing their podcast, covering news around the WNBA and women’s sports in general.
“Were trying to figure out where and how we want to continue in the WNBA offseason,” Hutchinson said. “Some Valkyries players are playing in the Unrivaled League. The podcast will probably be more focused on themes connected to (ongoing WNBA contract negotiations). I want to make sure that the players see that fans support them and their fight.”
Interested listeners can find “Valkyries, Say Less” wherever they listen to podcasts.