Shows
Her Game Her VoiceThe 2025 WNBA All-Star Game (Was Kinda Meh)Hey Hoop Heads — I’m back with a fully loaded All-Star edition of Her Game Her Voice and I’ve got a lot to share including:🏀 A break down the highs, lows, and the "meh" of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis📣 A fantastic listener question about the WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (spoiler: it’s a BIG DEAL)👕 Thoughts about the players’ bold “Pay Us What You Owe Us” shirts💬 And of course, the Awards are back including:An Airball for ESPN Analyst Elle Duncan’s Cancun comment… it...2025-07-2415 minHer Game Her VoiceWNBA Fight Club, Reffing in Real Time, & Valkyries ValueGuess what? The Indiana Fever came to Ballhalla… and left with an L.In this episode of Her Game Her Voice, host Kaari Peterson breaks down the Golden State Valkyries’ electric win over the Fever, the escalating physicality in the WNBA (hello, Fever vs. Sun skirmish), and what the Commissioner’s Cup prize money really looks like for players. Spoiler: crypto’s involved.Plus, we head back to the classroom with Coach Tara VanDerveer for a masterclass in officiating from legendary ref Violet Palmer — and Kaari tries to make a charge/block call in real time (it d...2025-06-2715 minHer Game Her VoiceValkyries Rising, Hardship Contracts, & the WNBA Pay GapThis week on Her Game Her Voice, host Kaari Peterson brings the heat with the latest from the Golden State Valkyries, including a dominant win over the Aces and the signing of MSU Spartan alum Aerial Powers. Listener Pillar from Michigan asks: “What is a WNBA hardship contract?” — and Kaari breaks it down.Also in this episode: a hard look at the WNBA’s shocking pay gap, with insights from Nobel Prize-winning economist Claudia Goldin. Plus, the HGHV Awards return with Rookie of the Month Kiki Iriafen’s monster debut and a Flagrant Foul for Brittney Griner’s sideline o...2025-06-1214 minHer Game Her VoiceRookies, Refs & a Question for Tara VanDerveerIn this episode of Her Game Her Voice, we’re diving into:🏀 How the Golden State Valkyries’ rookies are settling in📍 Where Princeton’s Kaitlyn Chen is now (hint: she’s not done dazzling us)🎤 Tara VanDerveer’s thoughts on building a pipeline for women coaches💡 A listener question on the WNBA 3-point line (and what it says about the women’s game)🎖 Plus, the Awards return with this week’s:Buzzer Beater: A coaching win that deserves a mic dropAirball: Lopsided local...2025-06-0513 minHer Game Her VoiceMuffet Graduates, Valkyries Begin, and Fans ReactGraduation milestones, expansion excitement, and growing pains on and off the court. In this episode, Kaari returns after a short break to celebrate her daughter’s college graduation — and the WNBA’s 29th season tip-off. She shares her firsthand experience as a Golden State Valkyries season ticket holder at the team’s much-anticipated home opener, including standout moments, second-half struggles, and a halftime performance that sparked some strong opinions. Plus:A quick history of WNBA expansion team expectationsThoughts on the early identity of the ValkyriesWhy fan traditions matter — and how they startListener Q: Why do wo...2025-05-2214 minHer Game Her VoiceThe Draft, the Nets, and the Guard DAWGSIn this episode of Her Game. Her Voice., Kaari Peterson takes you inside the 2025 WNBA Draft—from a surprising pick by the Golden State Valkyries to their bold international roster strategy. Plus, what’s with cutting down basketball nets? We’ve got answers. Kelsey Plum’s DAWG camp earns this week’s Buzzer Beater, and Kaari hands out an Airball Award to a missed merchandising opportunity. And yes, she’s got thoughts on the decline in girls’ basketball participation—and why it deserves a Flagrant Foul. Packed with insight, side-eyes, and love for the game.“Big stories, little ep...2025-04-3011 minHer Game Her VoiceBetty, Pat, and Big NumbersIn this episode, I shine a spotlight on Belmont University legend Betty Wiseman—aka “Belmont Betty”—and the extraordinary legacy she built for women’s basketball in the Southeast. I’ll also take you back to the 2002 Final Four in San Antonio, where a surprise encounter with Pat Summitt left me speechless. Plus: this year’s NCAA title game delivered huge viewership, proving that women’s hoops is here to stay. As always, we close with our weekly awards: a Flagrant Foul for a coach who crossed the line, and an Airball for a Hall of Fame that’s missing a...2025-04-1912 minHer Game Her VoiceBig Games, Bigger Feelings, and UConn Fans (Still the Worst)Short on time? Good news—so are we. In this bite-sized, 10 minute episode of Her Game Her Voice, we’re diving deep into March Madness!🏀 First, we head back to Stanford for a special "Road to the Final Four" Basketball Master Class with Tara Vanderveer. I also share my own wild memories from the 1995 Final Four (spoiler: UConn fans, you’re not my favorite).🏆 Awards Time! • Buzzer Beater: Alabama vs. Maryland’s epic double-overtime showdown—an instant classic with record-breaking numbers and next-level sportswomanship.2025-03-2709 minHer Game Her VoiceHeartbreak, The Dance, and EminemMarch Madness is here, but not everyone got an invite—Stanford’s historic NCAA tournament streak is over, and I’ve got thoughts. Plus, we dive into the origins of “March Madness” and “The Big Dance,” break down Cinderella stories and bracket busters, and hand out this week’s Buzzer Beater, Airball, and Flagrant Foul Awards. Spoiler alert: Eminem is stepping up for women’s basketball, and Unrivaled’s coaching choices? Not so much. Tap in for all the madness! Here's a link to the music video I made about March Madness "The Most Wonderful Time of...2025-03-2111 minHer Game Her VoiceCourt Time, World Champs and Red HeadsIn this episode of Her Game. Her Voice., we dive into the stories of two groundbreaking women’s basketball teams.First, the Fort Shaw Indian Boarding School team—Indigenous girls who dominated the court in the early 1900s, becoming world champions at the 1904 World’s Fair. But their success came with a dark reality, as their victories were used to promote assimilation policies. It’s a story that will make you cheer—and cringe.Then, meet the All American Red Heads, the first professional women’s basketball team, who took on men’s teams by men’s rules wh...2025-03-1210 minHer Game Her VoiceTip-Off! Tara, Trailblazers, and the Game We LoveWelcome to the very first episode of Her Game Her Voice! I’m Kaari Peterson, and this is the podcast where women’s basketball meets the conversations that shape the game—on and off the court.In this episode, I’m taking you inside my basketball class taught by legendary Hall of Fame coach Tara VanDerveer. From the very first moment, it was clear this class would be special, and I’m sharing some of the key takeaways—including how basketball isn’t just about Xs and Os, but a reflection of America itself.We’ll also dive int...2025-03-0512 minHer Game Her VoiceIntroducing Her Game Her Voice with Kaari PetersonHer Game Her Voice is the podcast where women’s basketball meets bold conversations about gender parity, the unique challenges female athletes face, and the moments—both on and off the court—that shape the game.From buzzer-beating triumphs to air balls that leave us shaking our heads (like Pitbull at the WNBA All-Star halftime show—really?!), Kaari breaks it all down with insight, humor, and a passion for the game.She’ll share what she’s learning from Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Tara VanDerveer, cover stories from the Golden State Valkyries, Stanford Wom...2025-02-0501 min