November 10, 2025 • 32 mins
First Sarah breaks down a wild NWSL quarterfinal weekend. Then, with just under three months until the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Alex sits down with sisters Alli, Lauren, and Sam Macuga to discuss how they got their start in three different winter sports – moguls for Alli, alpine skiing for Lauren, and ski jumping for Sam – and why their parents might need a helicopter if they want to watch their daughters compete in Italy in February. Plus, walloping America’s hat, don’t say cheese, and welcome to Atlanta, where the players play.
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Read the Athletic’s story on the investigation into Stefano Vukov here
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where next time
we get nominated for a big Podcast award, we're gonna
channel Jaden Shaw's energy under dog may Ass. It's Monday,
November tenth, and on today's show, we'll recap a wild
NWSL playoff weekend, including the biggest upset we've seen in years,
And with just under three months until the Milan Courtina
(00:21):
Winter Olympics, we're bringing you an interview with sisters Ali,
Lauren and Sam Masuga, who could become the first siblings
to represent the US in different sport disciplines at the
same Winter Olympics. Alex sat down with them at last
month's Team USA summit to discuss how they got their
start in three different winter sports moguls for Ali, alpine
skiing for Lauren, and ski jumping for Sam, and why
(00:44):
their parents might need a helicopter if they want to
watch their daughters compete in February, Plus walloping America's Hat,
Don't Say Cheese, and Welcome to Atlanta, where the players play.
It's all coming up right after this. Welcome Back Slices.
Hope you had a great weekend. Here's what you need
(01:05):
to know today Let's start in the NWSL, because where
else would we start an absolutely incredible weekend of quarterfinal matches,
three out of four of them going into extra time.
And if I told you every home team would emerge
victorious except for one, would you guess the loser was
the team that hadn't dropped a home game since July
(01:26):
of last year. Yeah, we're starting with the number eight
seed Gotham ousting the number one seed Kansas City Current,
the current, unbeaten at home all season, owners of just
about every regular season record. There is the clear top
of the table, best of the bunch front run in
Buzzsaw can't be stopped. Favorites, and that's why you play
the game. Gotham got on the board first, as forward
(01:49):
Jaden Shaw beat multiple defenders to put the visitors up
one nil in the sixty eighth minute. The Current pulled
even on a tally from defender Ellie Wheeler in the
sixth minute of second half stoppage time, the latest game
tying regulation goal in NWSL playoff history, but Gotham's Katie
Stangles scored the dagger in the final seconds of the
second extra time period. The one hundred and twentieth minute
(02:11):
to upend the Current, ending their fairytale season and sending
Gotham to the Semis. Take a listen to Gotham coach
jan Carlos Amrose after the win.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
They saw they saweventy one.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Now we would then.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
By you came out here today and who called the
football club?
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Everything on one of you?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
The player at the stop everything on one of you,
guys two is cutting the ninety one.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Twenty three.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
That game a reminder that anything can happen in the playoffs,
especially when the Gotham Batties are playing out of the
final playoff spot. Flashback to twenty twenty three. Also, Katie
Stangle also late in extra time one hundred and seventh
minute that year, scoring to send to Gotham to their
first ever title game, which they went on to win
out of the sixth then final playoff spot. Can they
(03:06):
make that magic happen again this year? Some might argue
they already got the toughest part out of the way
by beating the Current, and heck, Jayde and Shaw might
argue that the eight besting the one wasn't nearly the upset.
We're making it out to be underdog my ass. Shaw
said after the game, We're not an underdog. Speaking of Shaw,
it was announced late last week that she's signed a
(03:27):
contract extension keeping her with Gotham through the twenty twenty
nine season. Meantime, Low Labanta Kansas City Selly Queen has
signed an extension of her own.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
She'll stick with the Current through twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
As for the other NWSL playoff matches, the other Sunday
game saw the number three Portland Thorns best the number
six San Diego Wave one NILL behind a Raylan Turner
header in the ninety fourth minute off a beautiful feed
in from Olivia Moultrie. On Saturday, the number two Washington
Spirit needed penalty kicks to defeat number seven Racing Louisville
three to one in penalties. Gift Monday put Washington on
(04:01):
the board first with a goal in the seventy second minute,
and after the game she dedicated the tally to her father,
who died earlier this month, saying the goal was quote
for the man who taught me to dream, fight and
believe end quote. Racings Caylea Fisher nodded things at a
goal apiece with a stoppage time equalizer and the stalemate
continued through overtime until penalty kicks were required, and that's
(04:23):
where Spirit keeper Aubrey Kingsbury was the hero in crunch time,
stopping two of Racing's four penalty shots, and her teammates
converted all three of their chances all The playoff actually
kicked off on Friday in the first game, when the
number four Orlando Pride defeated the number five Seattle Rain
two nil. Haylea McCutcheon scored first for Orlando in the
twenty first minute, then deep into second half stoppage time,
(04:45):
an epic length of field run from thirty nine year
old Marta ended with her earning a penalty, which she
gave to Luana, a teammate.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
With both club and country.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Lawana, who was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma in April twenty
twenty four and finished came out there beat just last month,
buried the shot for her first NWSL playoff goal.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Quote.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
One year ago, I didn't even know if I would
be playing again, and today I am here. Nothing is impossible,
Lawana said after the win. The loss for Seattle meant
the end of Lauren Barnes' career two hundred and fifty
two NWSL regular season appearances twenty one thousand plus minutes.
She's the only player ever to achieve either, and she
did them all for Seattle. So after Week one of
(05:28):
the postseason, the final four standing are the Washington Spirit
twenty twenty one champs, the Portland Thorns twenty twenty two champs,
Gotham FC twenty twenty three champs, and Orlando Pride twenty
twenty four champs. To quote, NWSL social not new to this,
true to this. More soccer sources told The Athletic that
(05:50):
the NWSL is awarding its seventeenth franchise to Atlanta with
a record expansion fee of one hundred and sixty five
million dollars. Per the Athletic story, the new club will
be owned and operated by Arthur Blank's amb Sports plus Entertainment,
which is the holding company of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons,
Atlanta United FC of the MLS, and Mercedes Benz Stadium,
(06:12):
where the new NWSL team will play its home matches.
The team is expected to debut sometime after the twenty
twenty sixth season. And a little more NWSL At halftime
of Saturday's Spirit Racing game, Commissioner Jessica Berman made her
first public comments regarding the New York Post op ed
penned by Angel City's Elizabeth Eddie calling for an official
(06:32):
NWSL gender policy. During a press conference, Berman said, quote,
when we think about our policy, what I can say
is that every single player who plays in this league
is eligible to play in this league. Otherwise they would
not be playing. And we are proud of every single
player who plays in our league.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Regarding the league's lack of an official policy on gender eligibility,
something they've been without since twenty twenty two, Berman said, quote,
we are doing everything we can.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
To educate ourselves, to listen, to learn, to.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Speak with subject matter experts, to make sure that we
have an informed and educated perspective.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Our sport deserves that. She went on.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Our policy is our current practice, which is that every
single player who plays in our league is eligible to play,
and we should collectively rally around them, protect them, and
ensure that they're treated with kindness and professionalism.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Okay, but saying our policy is our current practice, which
is that every single player who plays in our league
is eligible to play, is nonsense.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
That's meaningless eligible.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
How if there's no policy to point to for their eligibility,
and that lack of policy leaves players open to harassment
and the league open to bullshit distractions like Eddie's aped,
they're going to need more than to say our policy
is our current practice.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Even more soccer half.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Of the Northern Super League Final is set, as the
Vancouver Rise secured its spot, defeating Ottawa Rapid FC in
penalty kicks to win the two legged series after each
team had secured a two to one win on home soil.
The second game of the series between AFC Toronto and
the Montreal Roses was postponed due to inclement weather. Heavy
snow delayed the start on Sunday, and after plenty of
(08:07):
effort to clear the field, including using folding chairs to
shovel snow off the turf, it was decided that the
game would be moved to today. Toronto enters Game two
with a two nil lead over Montreal after the first leg.
Tockey two games into the rivalry series and the US
leads Canada two games to none and ten goals to two.
(08:28):
In Game one last Thursday night, the US played to
a four to one win behind a hat trick from
Abby Murphy. Then on Saturday a hattie from captain Hillary
Knight as the Americans trounced the Canadian six to one.
Leila Edwards added a goal and two assists in that one. Now,
before reading too much into the blowout wins, it's worth
noting that the Canadians left a few key pieces at
home to rest, including projected starting goalie and Renee Debien.
(08:51):
But still nice to see two big, dominant wins. With
the Olympics on the horizon, the US will try to
stay hot when the rivalry series can ccludes on the
road with two games at Edmonton, Alberta on December tenth
and thirteenth. In the meantime, players head back to college
or pro teams, with PWHL training camp officially getting underway
this week. To tennis Kazakhstans Elena Ribakino won the women's
(09:14):
singles title at the WTA Finals in Riod, Saudi Arabia
on Saturday, defeating world number one Arena Sablenka to take
home the grand prize of five point two three million dollars,
the largest individual payout in the history of women's sports.
It's Rabakkana's first WTA Finals win, making her the tenth
straight first time winner of the Tours season ending event.
(09:34):
A bit of intrigue after the match as well, during
the trophy ceremony, Rabakan refused to take a photo with
WTA CEO Portia Archer. The snub likely the result of
a WTA investigation into Rebaccana's coach, Stefano Vukov. Vukov was
provisionally suspended last fall and then barred for one year,
though that ban was lifted in August after Vukov and
the WTA entered private arbitration. In a confidential letter obtained
(09:58):
by the Athletic Archer summariz Vukov's violations as quote, engaging
in abusive authority and abusive conduct towards the WTA player,
including compromising or attempting to compromise the psychological, physical, or
emotional wellbeing of the player, Engaging in physical and verbal
abuse of the player, and exploiting your relationship with the
player for further personal and or business interests at the
(10:20):
expense of the best interest of the player end quote.
Rebakana has always maintained that Vukhov hasn't mistreated her. We'll
link to a story from the athletic that includes more
on the investigation and the reported dynamic between coach and athlete.
In women's doubles at the WTA Finals, Viveronica kuter Matova
and Elisa Michtens won their second straight WTA Finals title,
(10:40):
defeating Timiya bab Bosch and Luisa Stephanie seven sixty one
to College hoops. USC freshman Jazzy Davidson scored twenty one points,
including the go ahead layup with eight point two seconds
left to lift her number eighteen Trojans past number nine
NC State sixty nine to sixty eight.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
On Sunday. London Jones, who transferred from.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
UCLA two USC this past offseason, added nineteen points in
the win.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
A couple other notable games.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Now remember, in my college hoops preview, I wondered aloud
whether Joyce Edwards would step up to be the true
star for South Carolina after several big time departures. Well,
it may not be necessary for anyone to step up
and be the star of Don S. Daly squad, not
when they've got seven players scoring in double digits, as
was the case in their one hundred and fourteen to
forty seven drubbing of Bowling Green On Friday, Edwards had
(11:28):
twenty four, Tenaya Latson had seventeen, Tessa Johnson put up fourteen,
and four more game Cocks had at least eleven on
the day. It was a well rounded team effort for
LSU Sunday too, as they beat Georgia Southern one eighteen
to seventy behind nineteen points apiece from Flaje Johnson and
Maleysia ful Wiley and seventeen and fifteen from Zykiah Johnson
and Mikaea Williams, respectively. All right, slice's ahead of Alex's
(11:53):
interview with the Massuga sisters. How about a little Winter
Olympics one O one, you know, for those of you
who didn't grow up with a ski jump in your
back yard. Ali, the youngest of the sisters, competes in moguls.
That's the sport where athletes ski down all the bumps
and are scored based on their speed, their form, and
the flips and twists they do off of two mid
race jumps. Lauren, the middle sister, is an alpine skier,
(12:15):
you know. That's the sport with Lindsay Vaughn and Mikayla
Schiffren and Sam the oldest competes in ski jumping. That's
the one where athletes fly over one hundred meters in
the air and are judged on how good they look
doing it.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Okay, we're all caught up.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
The multitalented Masuga sisters are coming up right after.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
This, joining us.
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Now Hailing from Park City, Utah, she's a mogul skier
who made her World Cup debut in twenty twenty two
and was named FIS Rookie of the Year in twenty
twenty three. She has two World Cup podiums to your name,
including one she achieved on International Women's Day. She's helped
shine a light on the reality of living with post
concussion syndrome, and she's an advocate for mental health awareness
(13:00):
time you might find her playing golf, hockey, basketball, or surfing.
Watch out Summer Athletes. The youngest of her sisters, but
not of her siblings, it's Ali Masuga.
Speaker 5 (13:08):
Hello, thank you for having me.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
Joining her and also hailing from Park City, Utah. She's
an alpine skier who specializes in the speed events aka
the downhill in the Super g She had a breakout
season in twenty twenty five, claiming bronze at the World
Championships and also becoming the youngest American to win a
World Cup speed race since a young Lindsay Vaughn one
in two thousand and seven. She represents Team USA so
well that she was born on the fourth of July,
(13:31):
and she's old enough to quote Talladega Nights, but young
enough that she probably didn't watch the movie in theaters.
It's Lauren Masuga, that's me. Hey, I'm assuming you didn't
see Talladega Nights at the age of four.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
Sadly no, no, but I do love it.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
So and finally, would you believe it? Also hailing from
Park City, she's a ski jumper who made her World
Cup debut in twenty twenty three, and she has been
named to two US World Championship teams in her career.
She's been doing it all while enrolled at Dartmouth, where
she is studying electrical engineering, and she is on an
eight year plan with the goal of graduating in twenty
twenty seven. It's Sam Asuga, happy to be here, and
(14:07):
together they could become the first siblings to compete on
the same US Winter Olympic team and distinctly different sports disciplines. Ali,
Lauren and Sam welcome to the show.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
Yeah, thanks for having us on intro.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
I know, when you have three people, it's a lot
to get through, but it was impressive.
Speaker 5 (14:24):
Good way, I'm impressed.
Speaker 6 (14:26):
Sam. I'm gonna start with you. I think a lot
of people might hear three sisters competing in three different sports.
Their parents must have a grand plan for Olympic dominance.
Oh my gosh, as their parents are sitting right behind me.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Oh, I know, we're gonna let you in on the
secret project Olympic.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
No.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Yeah, people always ask like, wow, this must have been intentional.
I mean there's so many people on the team like
where their parents did it or like they really pushed
for it.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
And no, that's super not what happened with us.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
It was always I mean we're from Park City, where
there's just it's so big to get kids into sports
and try any sport you want, so we try everything, Like,
I mean the reason we all found around sports is
because they were just like, yeah, do whatever you want,
like we just want you guys.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
To do something. And then they.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
Took a really big step back, which is nice and
just let us pursue what we want. And I mean
they had no idea we're gonna make the team. I
don't think any of us knew we're gonna make the team.
And I think that's the.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
Way to do it.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
It shouldn't be this crazy trying to put people on
the team. It should be you know, you love it
now you're.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
There as the oldest.
Speaker 6 (15:24):
I'm guessing you were probably the one that was figuring
out what the steps are to making a national team.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Was it a lot of trial and error?
Speaker 6 (15:30):
And how involved was your family and kind of figuring
out that process.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Mine, well, I think all of ours actually were a
little bit like it, but I had I had no idea.
I was part of a trial run developmental program for
like pipeline into the team. So I was the first
of we called it fly girls, and I was a
five week camp of the most promising juniors in the
nation where we all came together and lived together and trained,
and so through that I got a lot better at
(15:55):
ski jumping, because when I was younger, like, I was
like okay, but I wasn't like winning anything. I was
just I was like having fun. I was like, this
is really great. And then through that I got invited
to international competitions, and again I was just excited to
be traveling to Germany to go ski job.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
I was like, this is so cool.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
I didn't think I'd ever do this. And then I
got an email just randomly in the fall that was like, Hey,
you're nominated for the national team. Would you like to accept?
And I was like, oh my god, what. Yes, I
didn't even know I could do that. That's an option,
and I'm sure we'll get to them. But I mean
it's kind of the same for them. It's like in
the back of your mind. But I wasn't trying. I
(16:28):
was just trying to I don't know. I was just
doing what I wanted to do.
Speaker 6 (16:32):
Ali growing up in Park City, the host city of
the two thousand and two Winter Games, you all got
your start through the Youth Sports Alliance, which Sam alluded to.
Can you explain how this program is different from what
people might experience in their own hometowns.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
Oh, it's so unique.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
So what we did was get out and play. And
it was a program where after classes at elementary school,
you would get on a bus and you would go
to the Utah Olympic Park and they would provide you
with skis, boards, boots, everything you need and have all
these amazing coaches where you can try anything, Like they're like,
you can try mo little ski jumping, I'll find like
(17:08):
all of our sports, whatever you want. And they have
so many other programs too, where I found out you
can do welding. Now that's a program they have, which
I think is super cool. But yeah, I think just
having that opportunity where they provide you with everything you need,
which a lot of families can't afford. So it's just
super good opportunity for them to go try all these
sports where that might not normally happen, like in most towns.
(17:32):
Hearing about all these kids trying all these ski sports,
you're like, that's crazy. So like for us to have
that opportunity to go up and figure out what we
want to do was so special and clearly it helped
us very well.
Speaker 6 (17:46):
I love the idea of parents sending their kids to
this program and one comes back as a welder and
the other as an area sets.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
I mean, look at us ski jumping models and speed
skiing like.
Speaker 6 (17:58):
Wild or In the type of training required to be
an elite alpine skier is quite different from that required
for moguls and ski jumping, and the three disciplines also
often require different body types. It feels like somebody studying
the impact of like nature versus nurture, cand maybe learn
a little something from the three of you looking back
at how things fell into place in what you know
(18:19):
now about your respective sports. Does it feel like each
sister ended up in the right spot.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
Oh my gosh, yes, it is so funny. We talk
about it quite a bit, like I am a little
bit like bigger than Sam, Like I wouldn't fly very far.
I just I am built different. Okay, not in a
weird way. It's like a funny thing to say, but
I just I wouldn't be able to do it. And
you look at each of us and I mean, yes,
we'd look pretty similar, like face wise, but we're built
(18:47):
so differently. And I think like we did work like
work out to be this way. But I do think
we lucked out, not lucked out. We just chose that
sport based off of what we love doing best and
are like we're made for each of these sports. It
sounds funny, but that's just kind of how it feels.
Like I am a ski racer. I was like born
(19:08):
to be one, you know, silly, crazy thing, but it's
just kind of how it feels of the three of you.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
Was there ever a moment where one of you kind
of vocalized the idea of like, hey, I want to
go to the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
I think it was never really like fish came about
well all of a sudden.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
It was more of we want all four of us
at the Olympics. You can't forget we were younger brother Daniel,
and the dream was always still like be oh, we
want all four of us there. You're like, oh, it'd
be so cool.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
Yeah, it was like it was like something you talked
about and you're like, yeah, like when that becomes realistic,
like we'll think about it. And then now it's like, oh,
I'm signing up to be an Olympic hopeful and I
might go to Milan for this. Like I don't know,
it's it's hard to It's like something talk about it,
(20:00):
but it doesn't really feel real until it's happening.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
Sam, sticking with you. All of your disciplines are technically
under the umbrella of US Ski and Snowboard at the
national level and FIS at the international level, but things
like resources, national team funding, staffing, prize money, even sponsorship
opportunities can vary widely. How often are the three of
you kind of comparing and contrasting who has access to what?
Speaker 4 (20:23):
It comes up a lot. I think it's I think
it's actually been really nice to have like this look
inside because I don't think amongst the teams it's it's
not like taboo, but you don't you're not really asking
the other teams like oh my god, what's your budget
look like? And where are you staying on your weekends?
But like we're close enough that I can ask, And
it's really nice to see where funds are allocated because like,
(20:44):
of course, like yes, Alpine has a way bigger budget,
but they also bring in the most money and they like,
I mean, they need it. They have so many people
and so many more staff members. But it's nice to
just like I acknowledge that, like, okay, ski jumping is
really big, Like womens ski jumping maybe isn't as watched
as like women's out, fine, everybody knows Lindsay Vaughn and
Mikayla Schiffrin and all that, And then like moguls, like
(21:05):
they also have a whole different structure because it's it's
so different, like there's way less people in the circuit
and you guys have less events, so it's not it's
usually comparing just to have a good idea of where
everybody's at and like you know, especially with sponsors, especially
like how to approach them with the sports.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
But it's not really like a negative comparison. It's just
like informational. I think it's good to know.
Speaker 6 (21:28):
As you've continued your journey, have there been financial challenges
that you've had to kind of figure out ways to
be able to meet the moment in order to be
able to compete at the events that you needed to.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
There's been times in ski jumming we've had a couple
of problems just because like yes we're technically US Ski Team,
but for a while we kind of weren't. And our
team like almost went under a couple of times just
because we don't receive funding from the US Ski Team.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
It's like a.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
Whole I wish I could understand what's going on, but
we have our own fundraising and funding organization, and so
it's really cool that we're still here.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
But like we had a whole thing where.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
We used to be with Norda combined and we unfortunately
had to drop them because we couldn't support both of
the sports outside of the US skate team umbrella. So
it's luckily for me, it hasn't been fortunate enough that
I haven't had personal like I haven't had to consider
quitting because I haven't been able to afford it. But
I had a lot of my teammates ex teammates especially
I've had to quit because the team just can't support
(22:25):
them through these times.
Speaker 6 (22:27):
Lauren, during your breakout season last year, assuming that came
with a lot more kind of prize money and sponsorship opportunities.
In fact, when you won that first World Cup race
in January, you still had a question mark on the
center of your helmet where our sponsor's name usually goes.
How long had you been racing with that question mark
up until that point?
Speaker 5 (22:43):
Oh, that is the best question. So it's hard to believe.
But that day in hospitality, like thirty minutes before going
up to my run, I was like, oh my gosh,
like I gotta do something like it's just so blank,
and my teammates Tricia and Keeley. I think Tricia was like, oh,
I have some like KT tape, and Kili was like,
let's put a question mark on it. So I gave
(23:05):
Killie my helmet. She took the KT tape and just
put it on. So it was like, you look like
closely at it. It is a it's a beautiful question mark,
but a hack dram a question mark. You're like, what
is going on here? And I went up to the
start in my pt she like starts us up there.
She's like, all right, you just do you. I don't
know what's going on here. And then I happen to win.
I was like, like, what are the odds of this
like throwing that on? And then when I was like,
(23:26):
oh my gosh, this is so fun. But it was
just like a fun way of being like, oh, like
my forehead is available, Like yeah, that is one of
our biggest like opportunities for us to like make a living.
And I mean it worked. It brought a lot of
attention doing it on the winning day and that was
a wild time. There was definitely a lot going on
(23:48):
with that.
Speaker 6 (23:49):
How long did it take somebody to step up and say, okay,
I want to fill that that blank spot?
Speaker 5 (23:53):
So actually it didn't take long. But the hard part
was so we were in like the met still racing,
so we had a Cortina Race World Cup. The next weekend,
I was like, I've never been approached by so many things,
Like luckily I had my agent, but I was like,
I don't know what to do, Like it was so stressful.
(24:15):
So I actually ended up putting it off for a
little bit. Went into Courtina. I was actually so stressed
that I was like getting sick, and I was like, okay,
didn't Like I did well there, but not as well
as I was like hoping, So I was like, Okay.
Going in Garmish the next weekend, I was like, I'm
just gonna go ski race. I'm gonna just hold off
on that, Like I came out here to have fun
(24:36):
and ski race. And don't get me wrong, I need
to make like I need to make a living. I
will have to move out of my parents' house eventually,
But I first and foremost I wanted to ski race,
and if that was going to take away from that,
I was going to hold off on it. So I
waited till the end of the season and ended up
finishing out the season and still had some great results.
(24:57):
Love it.
Speaker 6 (24:57):
Do you all still have your own respective bedroom and
your parents' house?
Speaker 4 (25:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (25:02):
Yeah, but like half moved out.
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Yeah, I have an apartment in Norway because I'm in
Park City like four weeks of the year, so that's
technically my residence, but I don't really live there.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Ali.
Speaker 6 (25:14):
As I mentioned in your intro, you have experienced post
concussion syndrome, and I was wondering if you'd be willing
to speak about just kind of what the experience was
like for you last season, in particular dealing with that
and finding yourself on the slopes trying to get through
a really tough situation.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Yeah, it was really rough, just not knowing what it
was and being told that I have it.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
I was like, okay, like doing all.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
This research trying to figure out what helps what doesn't,
which is like in quotation marks helps, like you don't
really know. It's kind of just trying the figure out
to the individual what you think makes you feel better
or like helps the symptoms. And so for me, like
the symptoms that were really bad was my focus in
my vision, which does not help in skiing, like not
(26:02):
knowing what's a bump and what's a jump. And then
just like the anxiety that came with all that, like
I'm flipping constantly and I couldn't get myself to do that,
Like I was scared instead of how I used to
be excited.
Speaker 5 (26:15):
So that changed a lot of things. So the season, the.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
First couple of World Cups, I competed, and it was
really hard just because I found I wasn't competing how
I wanted to. Like I was in tears after my
first World Cup because I think I was just so
relieved I made it down, which usually if I'm in tears,
it's because I'm so happy to be there. But so
that was a rude awakening to Okay, I need to
(26:39):
really focus in on like healing myself and trying to
figure out how I can find the love again, because
many times throughout last season I wanted to quit because
I was like, I'm not enjoying this, Like this is
so painful that I'm not it doesn't feel like I'm
getting anywhere.
Speaker 5 (26:53):
I'm just getting worse.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
But I was really lucky to have like my family
to support me and my coaches, teammates and so much help.
So feeling way better, especially this summer, started to find
the love again. So very excited for this season.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
Happy to hear it.
Speaker 6 (27:10):
Sam looking ahead to the Winter Olympics, in February. These
games are going to be very unique even for Winter Olympics,
and that they are quite spread out across the country.
In gosh, Moguls, in ski jumping, and alpine skiing all
in three different clusters. Alpine and ski jumping are pretty close,
only three hours apart. Moguls though about ten hours away,
with a couple mountain ranges in between. Have you all
(27:32):
thought at all about whether or not you would be
able to see each other compete should you all make
it there.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
We have definitely thought about it, and the best part
is one of it is we all compete on the
same day.
Speaker 6 (27:43):
Oh maybe I should get mom and dad in here.
Speaker 5 (27:45):
How are you gonna deal with that? Yeah, we've had it's.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
Favorite.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Oh my god.
Speaker 4 (27:52):
No, it's a logistical nightmare. It's the kind of thing
where we've talked about and it's just like, well, there's
no solution. We're just start joking. We're like, we need
a helicopter. So if anybody has a helicopter and wants
to fly our parents around, maybe flying around I don't
know it to be nice, but yeah, I mean, it's
cool that they're using so many spaces, but it is
I can't imagine trying to be a spectator, trying to
(28:14):
go to different things. Being an athlete's already a nightmare.
Like some of us have to skip the opening ceremonies
because it's so far away. Yeah, I wish I could
say we had a plan.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
We have no idea.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Well, best of luck to your family and to the
three of you. Thank you so much for taking the
time today.
Speaker 5 (28:28):
Thank you, Thanks Alex.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
The Massugas are absolutely delightful.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Does anyone else think dropping a mic into a room
full of Massugas and Mars, you know Alona and her
sisters would be absolutely hysterical. I just got some of
those good, funny sisterly vibes.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Loved that convo.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
Super excited to hear the rest of your interviews from
the Team USAY summit, and excited to keep getting to
know some of these athletes.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Ahead of the games.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
And just a reminder that we are traveling to Italy
to cover these events in person, so you know, the
helicopter people want to sponsor us too.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Hit us up. We got to take another break when
we come back.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
If it's called free soccer, why does it feel like
it's costing us our lives?
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Welcome back slices.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
We love that you're listening, but we want you to
get in the game every day too, So here's our
good game play of the day. Keep sending us suggestions
for show content. We always want to hear the guests
and topics you're into. Also feel free to share when
we need to up the difficulty level of our homework,
like for slice. Marsha, who's been traveling to catch college
hoops games since before slices were a glimmer in anyone's eye,
(29:39):
She wrote in to say this quote, Sarah, what a
treat to hear you spill some tea about Kim Maulke,
get me giggling with anticipation about the upcoming unrivaled season,
and then chat with Lisa Bluter.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
A trifecta for sure for me.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Having just moved to Iowa City, been traveling two and
a half hours to women's basketball games for years, I
have learned how fun field hockey is. Love live soccer
and volleyball, especially when it's only a fifteen minute drive.
Oh and I checked out my Iowa Aurora player for soccer.
I never miss an episode and appreciate your coverage, your humor,
and your stand on the rights of women athletes. I
(30:12):
walk my senior dog Luna with you in my ears
every am. Just two old ladies out and about enjoying
women's sports. Keep up the good game, Go Hawks, Go Bears.
End quote Marcia. I genuinely can't tell you how much
that email made me smile, So thank you. Please give
Luna extra treats and snugs for me tonight. We always
(30:32):
love to hear from you, so hit us up on
email good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us
a voicemail at eight seven two two o four fifty
seventy and.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review, y'all. I tell
you every day it's easy.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Watch three or four NWSL quarterfinals needing extra time or
PKS rating one hundred beats per minute review raise your hand.
If you were sitting in a pool of your own
sweat by the end of each of this weekends and
WSL matches, and if you're a Casey Current fan, probably
a mix of sweat and tears hull, well, here's to
the Current and one hell of a season one for
(31:08):
the books, no.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
Matter how it ended.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
And here's to the Gotham batties saying f you to
rankings and expectations, and here's to a whole weekend's worth
of absolutely bonkers footy. Thank you NWSL. The extra time
likely took time off our lives, but it was well
worth it. Can't wait to see what you got for
us next weekend. Now it's your turn, rate and review.
(31:30):
Thanks for listening. See you tomorrow. Good Game, Ali, Lauren
and Sam Good Game Gotham on the upset of the year.
You whoever invented moguls you sick? Bet your friends with
the Burpie Guy. Good Game with Sarah Spain is an
iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports
and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app,
(31:51):
Apple Podcasts.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
Or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are alex Azie,
Grace Lynch, Taylor Williamson and Lucy Jones. Our executive producers
are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutterer.
Our editors are Emily Rudder, Britney Martinez and Gianna Palmer.
Production assistants from Avery Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain,
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where next time
we get nominated for a big Podcast award, we're gonna
channel Jaden Shaw's energy under dog may Ass. It's Monday,
November tenth, and on today's show, we'll recap a wild
NWSL playoff weekend, including the biggest upset we've seen in years,
And with just under three months until the Milan Courtina
(00:21):
Winter Olympics, we're bringing you an interview with sisters Ali,
Lauren and Sam Masuga, who could become the first siblings
to represent the US in different sport disciplines at the
same Winter Olympics. Alex sat down with them at last
month's Team USA summit to discuss how they got their
start in three different winter sports moguls for Ali, alpine
skiing for Lauren, and ski jumping for Sam, and why
(00:44):
their parents might need a helicopter if they want to
watch their daughters compete in February, Plus walloping America's Hat,
Don't Say Cheese, and Welcome to Atlanta, where the players play.
It's all coming up right after this. Welcome Back Slices.
Hope you had a great weekend. Here's what you need
(01:05):
to know today Let's start in the NWSL, because where
else would we start an absolutely incredible weekend of quarterfinal matches,
three out of four of them going into extra time.
And if I told you every home team would emerge
victorious except for one, would you guess the loser was
the team that hadn't dropped a home game since July
(01:26):
of last year. Yeah, we're starting with the number eight
seed Gotham ousting the number one seed Kansas City Current,
the current, unbeaten at home all season, owners of just
about every regular season record. There is the clear top
of the table, best of the bunch front run in
Buzzsaw can't be stopped. Favorites, and that's why you play
the game. Gotham got on the board first, as forward
(01:49):
Jaden Shaw beat multiple defenders to put the visitors up
one nil in the sixty eighth minute. The Current pulled
even on a tally from defender Ellie Wheeler in the
sixth minute of second half stoppage time, the latest game
tying regulation goal in NWSL playoff history, but Gotham's Katie
Stangles scored the dagger in the final seconds of the
second extra time period. The one hundred and twentieth minute
(02:11):
to upend the Current, ending their fairytale season and sending
Gotham to the Semis. Take a listen to Gotham coach
jan Carlos Amrose after the win.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
They saw they saweventy one.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Now we would then.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
By you came out here today and who called the
football club?
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Everything on one of you?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
The player at the stop everything on one of you,
guys two is cutting the ninety one.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Twenty three.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
That game a reminder that anything can happen in the playoffs,
especially when the Gotham Batties are playing out of the
final playoff spot. Flashback to twenty twenty three. Also, Katie
Stangle also late in extra time one hundred and seventh
minute that year, scoring to send to Gotham to their
first ever title game, which they went on to win
out of the sixth then final playoff spot. Can they
(03:06):
make that magic happen again this year? Some might argue
they already got the toughest part out of the way
by beating the Current, and heck, Jayde and Shaw might
argue that the eight besting the one wasn't nearly the upset.
We're making it out to be underdog my ass. Shaw
said after the game, We're not an underdog. Speaking of Shaw,
it was announced late last week that she's signed a
(03:27):
contract extension keeping her with Gotham through the twenty twenty
nine season. Meantime, Low Labanta Kansas City Selly Queen has
signed an extension of her own.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
She'll stick with the Current through twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
As for the other NWSL playoff matches, the other Sunday
game saw the number three Portland Thorns best the number
six San Diego Wave one NILL behind a Raylan Turner
header in the ninety fourth minute off a beautiful feed
in from Olivia Moultrie. On Saturday, the number two Washington
Spirit needed penalty kicks to defeat number seven Racing Louisville
three to one in penalties. Gift Monday put Washington on
(04:01):
the board first with a goal in the seventy second minute,
and after the game she dedicated the tally to her father,
who died earlier this month, saying the goal was quote
for the man who taught me to dream, fight and
believe end quote. Racings Caylea Fisher nodded things at a
goal apiece with a stoppage time equalizer and the stalemate
continued through overtime until penalty kicks were required, and that's
(04:23):
where Spirit keeper Aubrey Kingsbury was the hero in crunch time,
stopping two of Racing's four penalty shots, and her teammates
converted all three of their chances all The playoff actually
kicked off on Friday in the first game, when the
number four Orlando Pride defeated the number five Seattle Rain
two nil. Haylea McCutcheon scored first for Orlando in the
twenty first minute, then deep into second half stoppage time,
(04:45):
an epic length of field run from thirty nine year
old Marta ended with her earning a penalty, which she
gave to Luana, a teammate.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
With both club and country.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Lawana, who was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma in April twenty
twenty four and finished came out there beat just last month,
buried the shot for her first NWSL playoff goal.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Quote.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
One year ago, I didn't even know if I would
be playing again, and today I am here. Nothing is impossible,
Lawana said after the win. The loss for Seattle meant
the end of Lauren Barnes' career two hundred and fifty
two NWSL regular season appearances twenty one thousand plus minutes.
She's the only player ever to achieve either, and she
did them all for Seattle. So after Week one of
(05:28):
the postseason, the final four standing are the Washington Spirit
twenty twenty one champs, the Portland Thorns twenty twenty two champs,
Gotham FC twenty twenty three champs, and Orlando Pride twenty
twenty four champs. To quote, NWSL social not new to this,
true to this. More soccer sources told The Athletic that
(05:50):
the NWSL is awarding its seventeenth franchise to Atlanta with
a record expansion fee of one hundred and sixty five
million dollars. Per the Athletic story, the new club will
be owned and operated by Arthur Blank's amb Sports plus Entertainment,
which is the holding company of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons,
Atlanta United FC of the MLS, and Mercedes Benz Stadium,
(06:12):
where the new NWSL team will play its home matches.
The team is expected to debut sometime after the twenty
twenty sixth season. And a little more NWSL At halftime
of Saturday's Spirit Racing game, Commissioner Jessica Berman made her
first public comments regarding the New York Post op ed
penned by Angel City's Elizabeth Eddie calling for an official
(06:32):
NWSL gender policy. During a press conference, Berman said, quote,
when we think about our policy, what I can say
is that every single player who plays in this league
is eligible to play in this league. Otherwise they would
not be playing. And we are proud of every single
player who plays in our league.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Regarding the league's lack of an official policy on gender eligibility,
something they've been without since twenty twenty two, Berman said, quote,
we are doing everything we can.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
To educate ourselves, to listen, to learn, to.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Speak with subject matter experts, to make sure that we
have an informed and educated perspective.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Our sport deserves that. She went on.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Our policy is our current practice, which is that every
single player who plays in our league is eligible to play,
and we should collectively rally around them, protect them, and
ensure that they're treated with kindness and professionalism.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Okay, but saying our policy is our current practice, which
is that every single player who plays in our league
is eligible to play, is nonsense.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
That's meaningless eligible.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
How if there's no policy to point to for their eligibility,
and that lack of policy leaves players open to harassment
and the league open to bullshit distractions like Eddie's aped,
they're going to need more than to say our policy
is our current practice.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Even more soccer half.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Of the Northern Super League Final is set, as the
Vancouver Rise secured its spot, defeating Ottawa Rapid FC in
penalty kicks to win the two legged series after each
team had secured a two to one win on home soil.
The second game of the series between AFC Toronto and
the Montreal Roses was postponed due to inclement weather. Heavy
snow delayed the start on Sunday, and after plenty of
(08:07):
effort to clear the field, including using folding chairs to
shovel snow off the turf, it was decided that the
game would be moved to today. Toronto enters Game two
with a two nil lead over Montreal after the first leg.
Tockey two games into the rivalry series and the US
leads Canada two games to none and ten goals to two.
(08:28):
In Game one last Thursday night, the US played to
a four to one win behind a hat trick from
Abby Murphy. Then on Saturday a hattie from captain Hillary
Knight as the Americans trounced the Canadian six to one.
Leila Edwards added a goal and two assists in that one. Now,
before reading too much into the blowout wins, it's worth
noting that the Canadians left a few key pieces at
home to rest, including projected starting goalie and Renee Debien.
(08:51):
But still nice to see two big, dominant wins. With
the Olympics on the horizon, the US will try to
stay hot when the rivalry series can ccludes on the
road with two games at Edmonton, Alberta on December tenth
and thirteenth. In the meantime, players head back to college
or pro teams, with PWHL training camp officially getting underway
this week. To tennis Kazakhstans Elena Ribakino won the women's
(09:14):
singles title at the WTA Finals in Riod, Saudi Arabia
on Saturday, defeating world number one Arena Sablenka to take
home the grand prize of five point two three million dollars,
the largest individual payout in the history of women's sports.
It's Rabakkana's first WTA Finals win, making her the tenth
straight first time winner of the Tours season ending event.
(09:34):
A bit of intrigue after the match as well, during
the trophy ceremony, Rabakan refused to take a photo with
WTA CEO Portia Archer. The snub likely the result of
a WTA investigation into Rebaccana's coach, Stefano Vukov. Vukov was
provisionally suspended last fall and then barred for one year,
though that ban was lifted in August after Vukov and
the WTA entered private arbitration. In a confidential letter obtained
(09:58):
by the Athletic Archer summariz Vukov's violations as quote, engaging
in abusive authority and abusive conduct towards the WTA player,
including compromising or attempting to compromise the psychological, physical, or
emotional wellbeing of the player, Engaging in physical and verbal
abuse of the player, and exploiting your relationship with the
player for further personal and or business interests at the
(10:20):
expense of the best interest of the player end quote.
Rebakana has always maintained that Vukhov hasn't mistreated her. We'll
link to a story from the athletic that includes more
on the investigation and the reported dynamic between coach and athlete.
In women's doubles at the WTA Finals, Viveronica kuter Matova
and Elisa Michtens won their second straight WTA Finals title,
(10:40):
defeating Timiya bab Bosch and Luisa Stephanie seven sixty one
to College hoops. USC freshman Jazzy Davidson scored twenty one points,
including the go ahead layup with eight point two seconds
left to lift her number eighteen Trojans past number nine
NC State sixty nine to sixty eight.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
On Sunday. London Jones, who transferred from.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
UCLA two USC this past offseason, added nineteen points in
the win.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
A couple other notable games.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Now remember, in my college hoops preview, I wondered aloud
whether Joyce Edwards would step up to be the true
star for South Carolina after several big time departures. Well,
it may not be necessary for anyone to step up
and be the star of Don S. Daly squad, not
when they've got seven players scoring in double digits, as
was the case in their one hundred and fourteen to
forty seven drubbing of Bowling Green On Friday, Edwards had
(11:28):
twenty four, Tenaya Latson had seventeen, Tessa Johnson put up fourteen,
and four more game Cocks had at least eleven on
the day. It was a well rounded team effort for
LSU Sunday too, as they beat Georgia Southern one eighteen
to seventy behind nineteen points apiece from Flaje Johnson and
Maleysia ful Wiley and seventeen and fifteen from Zykiah Johnson
and Mikaea Williams, respectively. All right, slice's ahead of Alex's
(11:53):
interview with the Massuga sisters. How about a little Winter
Olympics one O one, you know, for those of you
who didn't grow up with a ski jump in your
back yard. Ali, the youngest of the sisters, competes in moguls.
That's the sport where athletes ski down all the bumps
and are scored based on their speed, their form, and
the flips and twists they do off of two mid
race jumps. Lauren, the middle sister, is an alpine skier,
(12:15):
you know. That's the sport with Lindsay Vaughn and Mikayla
Schiffren and Sam the oldest competes in ski jumping. That's
the one where athletes fly over one hundred meters in
the air and are judged on how good they look
doing it.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Okay, we're all caught up.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
The multitalented Masuga sisters are coming up right after.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
This, joining us.
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Now Hailing from Park City, Utah, she's a mogul skier
who made her World Cup debut in twenty twenty two
and was named FIS Rookie of the Year in twenty
twenty three. She has two World Cup podiums to your name,
including one she achieved on International Women's Day. She's helped
shine a light on the reality of living with post
concussion syndrome, and she's an advocate for mental health awareness
(13:00):
time you might find her playing golf, hockey, basketball, or surfing.
Watch out Summer Athletes. The youngest of her sisters, but
not of her siblings, it's Ali Masuga.
Speaker 5 (13:08):
Hello, thank you for having me.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
Joining her and also hailing from Park City, Utah. She's
an alpine skier who specializes in the speed events aka
the downhill in the Super g She had a breakout
season in twenty twenty five, claiming bronze at the World
Championships and also becoming the youngest American to win a
World Cup speed race since a young Lindsay Vaughn one
in two thousand and seven. She represents Team USA so
well that she was born on the fourth of July,
(13:31):
and she's old enough to quote Talladega Nights, but young
enough that she probably didn't watch the movie in theaters.
It's Lauren Masuga, that's me. Hey, I'm assuming you didn't
see Talladega Nights at the age of four.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
Sadly no, no, but I do love it.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
So and finally, would you believe it? Also hailing from
Park City, she's a ski jumper who made her World
Cup debut in twenty twenty three, and she has been
named to two US World Championship teams in her career.
She's been doing it all while enrolled at Dartmouth, where
she is studying electrical engineering, and she is on an
eight year plan with the goal of graduating in twenty
twenty seven. It's Sam Asuga, happy to be here, and
(14:07):
together they could become the first siblings to compete on
the same US Winter Olympic team and distinctly different sports disciplines. Ali,
Lauren and Sam welcome to the show.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
Yeah, thanks for having us on intro.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
I know, when you have three people, it's a lot
to get through, but it was impressive.
Speaker 5 (14:24):
Good way, I'm impressed.
Speaker 6 (14:26):
Sam. I'm gonna start with you. I think a lot
of people might hear three sisters competing in three different sports.
Their parents must have a grand plan for Olympic dominance.
Oh my gosh, as their parents are sitting right behind me.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Oh, I know, we're gonna let you in on the
secret project Olympic.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
No.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Yeah, people always ask like, wow, this must have been intentional.
I mean there's so many people on the team like
where their parents did it or like they really pushed
for it.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
And no, that's super not what happened with us.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
It was always I mean we're from Park City, where
there's just it's so big to get kids into sports
and try any sport you want, so we try everything, Like,
I mean the reason we all found around sports is
because they were just like, yeah, do whatever you want,
like we just want you guys.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
To do something. And then they.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
Took a really big step back, which is nice and
just let us pursue what we want. And I mean
they had no idea we're gonna make the team. I
don't think any of us knew we're gonna make the team.
And I think that's the.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
Way to do it.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
It shouldn't be this crazy trying to put people on
the team. It should be you know, you love it
now you're.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
There as the oldest.
Speaker 6 (15:24):
I'm guessing you were probably the one that was figuring
out what the steps are to making a national team.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Was it a lot of trial and error?
Speaker 6 (15:30):
And how involved was your family and kind of figuring
out that process.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Mine, well, I think all of ours actually were a
little bit like it, but I had I had no idea.
I was part of a trial run developmental program for
like pipeline into the team. So I was the first
of we called it fly girls, and I was a
five week camp of the most promising juniors in the
nation where we all came together and lived together and trained,
and so through that I got a lot better at
(15:55):
ski jumping, because when I was younger, like, I was
like okay, but I wasn't like winning anything. I was
just I was like having fun. I was like, this
is really great. And then through that I got invited
to international competitions, and again I was just excited to
be traveling to Germany to go ski job.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
I was like, this is so cool.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
I didn't think I'd ever do this. And then I
got an email just randomly in the fall that was like, Hey,
you're nominated for the national team. Would you like to accept?
And I was like, oh my god, what. Yes, I
didn't even know I could do that. That's an option,
and I'm sure we'll get to them. But I mean
it's kind of the same for them. It's like in
the back of your mind. But I wasn't trying. I
(16:28):
was just trying to I don't know. I was just
doing what I wanted to do.
Speaker 6 (16:32):
Ali growing up in Park City, the host city of
the two thousand and two Winter Games, you all got
your start through the Youth Sports Alliance, which Sam alluded to.
Can you explain how this program is different from what
people might experience in their own hometowns.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
Oh, it's so unique.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
So what we did was get out and play. And
it was a program where after classes at elementary school,
you would get on a bus and you would go
to the Utah Olympic Park and they would provide you
with skis, boards, boots, everything you need and have all
these amazing coaches where you can try anything, Like they're like,
you can try mo little ski jumping, I'll find like
(17:08):
all of our sports, whatever you want. And they have
so many other programs too, where I found out you
can do welding. Now that's a program they have, which
I think is super cool. But yeah, I think just
having that opportunity where they provide you with everything you need,
which a lot of families can't afford. So it's just
super good opportunity for them to go try all these
sports where that might not normally happen, like in most towns.
(17:32):
Hearing about all these kids trying all these ski sports,
you're like, that's crazy. So like for us to have
that opportunity to go up and figure out what we
want to do was so special and clearly it helped
us very well.
Speaker 6 (17:46):
I love the idea of parents sending their kids to
this program and one comes back as a welder and
the other as an area sets.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
I mean, look at us ski jumping models and speed
skiing like.
Speaker 6 (17:58):
Wild or In the type of training required to be
an elite alpine skier is quite different from that required
for moguls and ski jumping, and the three disciplines also
often require different body types. It feels like somebody studying
the impact of like nature versus nurture, cand maybe learn
a little something from the three of you looking back
at how things fell into place in what you know
(18:19):
now about your respective sports. Does it feel like each
sister ended up in the right spot.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
Oh my gosh, yes, it is so funny. We talk
about it quite a bit, like I am a little
bit like bigger than Sam, Like I wouldn't fly very far.
I just I am built different. Okay, not in a
weird way. It's like a funny thing to say, but
I just I wouldn't be able to do it. And
you look at each of us and I mean, yes,
we'd look pretty similar, like face wise, but we're built
(18:47):
so differently. And I think like we did work like
work out to be this way. But I do think
we lucked out, not lucked out. We just chose that
sport based off of what we love doing best and
are like we're made for each of these sports. It
sounds funny, but that's just kind of how it feels.
Like I am a ski racer. I was like born
(19:08):
to be one, you know, silly, crazy thing, but it's
just kind of how it feels of the three of you.
Speaker 6 (19:16):
Was there ever a moment where one of you kind
of vocalized the idea of like, hey, I want to
go to the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
I think it was never really like fish came about
well all of a sudden.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
It was more of we want all four of us
at the Olympics. You can't forget we were younger brother Daniel,
and the dream was always still like be oh, we
want all four of us there. You're like, oh, it'd
be so cool.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
Yeah, it was like it was like something you talked
about and you're like, yeah, like when that becomes realistic,
like we'll think about it. And then now it's like, oh,
I'm signing up to be an Olympic hopeful and I
might go to Milan for this. Like I don't know,
it's it's hard to It's like something talk about it,
(20:00):
but it doesn't really feel real until it's happening.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
Sam, sticking with you. All of your disciplines are technically
under the umbrella of US Ski and Snowboard at the
national level and FIS at the international level, but things
like resources, national team funding, staffing, prize money, even sponsorship
opportunities can vary widely. How often are the three of
you kind of comparing and contrasting who has access to what?
Speaker 4 (20:23):
It comes up a lot. I think it's I think
it's actually been really nice to have like this look
inside because I don't think amongst the teams it's it's
not like taboo, but you don't you're not really asking
the other teams like oh my god, what's your budget
look like? And where are you staying on your weekends?
But like we're close enough that I can ask, And
it's really nice to see where funds are allocated because like,
(20:44):
of course, like yes, Alpine has a way bigger budget,
but they also bring in the most money and they like,
I mean, they need it. They have so many people
and so many more staff members. But it's nice to
just like I acknowledge that, like, okay, ski jumping is
really big, Like womens ski jumping maybe isn't as watched
as like women's out, fine, everybody knows Lindsay Vaughn and
Mikayla Schiffrin and all that, And then like moguls, like
(21:05):
they also have a whole different structure because it's it's
so different, like there's way less people in the circuit
and you guys have less events, so it's not it's
usually comparing just to have a good idea of where
everybody's at and like you know, especially with sponsors, especially
like how to approach them with the sports.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
But it's not really like a negative comparison. It's just
like informational. I think it's good to know.
Speaker 6 (21:28):
As you've continued your journey, have there been financial challenges
that you've had to kind of figure out ways to
be able to meet the moment in order to be
able to compete at the events that you needed to.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
There's been times in ski jumming we've had a couple
of problems just because like yes we're technically US Ski Team,
but for a while we kind of weren't. And our
team like almost went under a couple of times just
because we don't receive funding from the US Ski Team.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
It's like a.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
Whole I wish I could understand what's going on, but
we have our own fundraising and funding organization, and so
it's really cool that we're still here.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
But like we had a whole thing where.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
We used to be with Norda combined and we unfortunately
had to drop them because we couldn't support both of
the sports outside of the US skate team umbrella. So
it's luckily for me, it hasn't been fortunate enough that
I haven't had personal like I haven't had to consider
quitting because I haven't been able to afford it. But
I had a lot of my teammates ex teammates especially
I've had to quit because the team just can't support
(22:25):
them through these times.
Speaker 6 (22:27):
Lauren, during your breakout season last year, assuming that came
with a lot more kind of prize money and sponsorship opportunities.
In fact, when you won that first World Cup race
in January, you still had a question mark on the
center of your helmet where our sponsor's name usually goes.
How long had you been racing with that question mark
up until that point?
Speaker 5 (22:43):
Oh, that is the best question. So it's hard to believe.
But that day in hospitality, like thirty minutes before going
up to my run, I was like, oh my gosh,
like I gotta do something like it's just so blank,
and my teammates Tricia and Keeley. I think Tricia was like, oh,
I have some like KT tape, and Kili was like,
let's put a question mark on it. So I gave
(23:05):
Killie my helmet. She took the KT tape and just
put it on. So it was like, you look like
closely at it. It is a it's a beautiful question mark,
but a hack dram a question mark. You're like, what
is going on here? And I went up to the
start in my pt she like starts us up there.
She's like, all right, you just do you. I don't
know what's going on here. And then I happen to win.
I was like, like, what are the odds of this
like throwing that on? And then when I was like,
(23:26):
oh my gosh, this is so fun. But it was
just like a fun way of being like, oh, like
my forehead is available, Like yeah, that is one of
our biggest like opportunities for us to like make a living.
And I mean it worked. It brought a lot of
attention doing it on the winning day and that was
a wild time. There was definitely a lot going on
(23:48):
with that.
Speaker 6 (23:49):
How long did it take somebody to step up and say, okay,
I want to fill that that blank spot?
Speaker 5 (23:53):
So actually it didn't take long. But the hard part
was so we were in like the met still racing,
so we had a Cortina Race World Cup. The next weekend,
I was like, I've never been approached by so many things,
Like luckily I had my agent, but I was like,
I don't know what to do, Like it was so stressful.
(24:15):
So I actually ended up putting it off for a
little bit. Went into Courtina. I was actually so stressed
that I was like getting sick, and I was like, okay,
didn't Like I did well there, but not as well
as I was like hoping, So I was like, Okay.
Going in Garmish the next weekend, I was like, I'm
just gonna go ski race. I'm gonna just hold off
on that, Like I came out here to have fun
(24:36):
and ski race. And don't get me wrong, I need
to make like I need to make a living. I
will have to move out of my parents' house eventually,
But I first and foremost I wanted to ski race,
and if that was going to take away from that,
I was going to hold off on it. So I
waited till the end of the season and ended up
finishing out the season and still had some great results.
(24:57):
Love it.
Speaker 6 (24:57):
Do you all still have your own respective bedroom and
your parents' house?
Speaker 4 (25:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (25:02):
Yeah, but like half moved out.
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Yeah, I have an apartment in Norway because I'm in
Park City like four weeks of the year, so that's
technically my residence, but I don't really live there.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
Ali.
Speaker 6 (25:14):
As I mentioned in your intro, you have experienced post
concussion syndrome, and I was wondering if you'd be willing
to speak about just kind of what the experience was
like for you last season, in particular dealing with that
and finding yourself on the slopes trying to get through
a really tough situation.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Yeah, it was really rough, just not knowing what it
was and being told that I have it.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
I was like, okay, like doing all.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
This research trying to figure out what helps what doesn't,
which is like in quotation marks helps, like you don't
really know. It's kind of just trying the figure out
to the individual what you think makes you feel better
or like helps the symptoms. And so for me, like
the symptoms that were really bad was my focus in
my vision, which does not help in skiing, like not
(26:02):
knowing what's a bump and what's a jump. And then
just like the anxiety that came with all that, like
I'm flipping constantly and I couldn't get myself to do that,
Like I was scared instead of how I used to
be excited.
Speaker 5 (26:15):
So that changed a lot of things. So the season, the.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
First couple of World Cups, I competed, and it was
really hard just because I found I wasn't competing how
I wanted to. Like I was in tears after my
first World Cup because I think I was just so
relieved I made it down, which usually if I'm in tears,
it's because I'm so happy to be there. But so
that was a rude awakening to Okay, I need to
(26:39):
really focus in on like healing myself and trying to
figure out how I can find the love again, because
many times throughout last season I wanted to quit because
I was like, I'm not enjoying this, Like this is
so painful that I'm not it doesn't feel like I'm
getting anywhere.
Speaker 5 (26:53):
I'm just getting worse.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
But I was really lucky to have like my family
to support me and my coaches, teammates and so much help.
So feeling way better, especially this summer, started to find
the love again. So very excited for this season.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
Happy to hear it.
Speaker 6 (27:10):
Sam looking ahead to the Winter Olympics, in February. These
games are going to be very unique even for Winter Olympics,
and that they are quite spread out across the country.
In gosh, Moguls, in ski jumping, and alpine skiing all
in three different clusters. Alpine and ski jumping are pretty close,
only three hours apart. Moguls though about ten hours away,
with a couple mountain ranges in between. Have you all
(27:32):
thought at all about whether or not you would be
able to see each other compete should you all make
it there.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
We have definitely thought about it, and the best part
is one of it is we all compete on the
same day.
Speaker 6 (27:43):
Oh maybe I should get mom and dad in here.
Speaker 5 (27:45):
How are you gonna deal with that? Yeah, we've had it's.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
Favorite.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Oh my god.
Speaker 4 (27:52):
No, it's a logistical nightmare. It's the kind of thing
where we've talked about and it's just like, well, there's
no solution. We're just start joking. We're like, we need
a helicopter. So if anybody has a helicopter and wants
to fly our parents around, maybe flying around I don't
know it to be nice, but yeah, I mean, it's
cool that they're using so many spaces, but it is
I can't imagine trying to be a spectator, trying to
(28:14):
go to different things. Being an athlete's already a nightmare.
Like some of us have to skip the opening ceremonies
because it's so far away. Yeah, I wish I could
say we had a plan.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
We have no idea.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Well, best of luck to your family and to the
three of you. Thank you so much for taking the
time today.
Speaker 5 (28:28):
Thank you, Thanks Alex.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
The Massugas are absolutely delightful.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Does anyone else think dropping a mic into a room
full of Massugas and Mars, you know Alona and her
sisters would be absolutely hysterical. I just got some of
those good, funny sisterly vibes.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Loved that convo.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
Super excited to hear the rest of your interviews from
the Team USAY summit, and excited to keep getting to
know some of these athletes.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Ahead of the games.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
And just a reminder that we are traveling to Italy
to cover these events in person, so you know, the
helicopter people want to sponsor us too.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Hit us up. We got to take another break when
we come back.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
If it's called free soccer, why does it feel like
it's costing us our lives?
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Welcome back slices.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
We love that you're listening, but we want you to
get in the game every day too, So here's our
good game play of the day. Keep sending us suggestions
for show content. We always want to hear the guests
and topics you're into. Also feel free to share when
we need to up the difficulty level of our homework,
like for slice. Marsha, who's been traveling to catch college
hoops games since before slices were a glimmer in anyone's eye,
(29:39):
She wrote in to say this quote, Sarah, what a
treat to hear you spill some tea about Kim Maulke,
get me giggling with anticipation about the upcoming unrivaled season,
and then chat with Lisa Bluter.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
A trifecta for sure for me.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Having just moved to Iowa City, been traveling two and
a half hours to women's basketball games for years, I
have learned how fun field hockey is. Love live soccer
and volleyball, especially when it's only a fifteen minute drive.
Oh and I checked out my Iowa Aurora player for soccer.
I never miss an episode and appreciate your coverage, your humor,
and your stand on the rights of women athletes. I
(30:12):
walk my senior dog Luna with you in my ears
every am. Just two old ladies out and about enjoying
women's sports. Keep up the good game, Go Hawks, Go Bears.
End quote Marcia. I genuinely can't tell you how much
that email made me smile, So thank you. Please give
Luna extra treats and snugs for me tonight. We always
(30:32):
love to hear from you, so hit us up on
email good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us
a voicemail at eight seven two two o four fifty
seventy and.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review, y'all. I tell
you every day it's easy.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Watch three or four NWSL quarterfinals needing extra time or
PKS rating one hundred beats per minute review raise your hand.
If you were sitting in a pool of your own
sweat by the end of each of this weekends and
WSL matches, and if you're a Casey Current fan, probably
a mix of sweat and tears hull, well, here's to
the Current and one hell of a season one for
(31:08):
the books, no.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
Matter how it ended.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
And here's to the Gotham batties saying f you to
rankings and expectations, and here's to a whole weekend's worth
of absolutely bonkers footy. Thank you NWSL. The extra time
likely took time off our lives, but it was well
worth it. Can't wait to see what you got for
us next weekend. Now it's your turn, rate and review.
(31:30):
Thanks for listening. See you tomorrow. Good Game, Ali, Lauren
and Sam Good Game Gotham on the upset of the year.
You whoever invented moguls you sick? Bet your friends with
the Burpie Guy. Good Game with Sarah Spain is an
iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports
and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app,
(31:51):
Apple Podcasts.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
Or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are alex Azie,
Grace Lynch, Taylor Williamson and Lucy Jones. Our executive producers
are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutterer.
Our editors are Emily Rudder, Britney Martinez and Gianna Palmer.
Production assistants from Avery Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain,
Host
Sarah Spain
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