Welcome to the Party

What can a country of 5 million teach the U.S. about winning? After Norway’s 18-gold domination at the Winter Games, Julie, Abby, and Billie Jean King sit down with legendary performance psychologist Dr. Colleen Hacker to unpack the real secret sauce: joy, autonomy, multiple sports and a radically different approach to youth athletics. From “Five Ring Fever” to Olympic pressure, this is a masterclass in mindset, mental health, and why the path to greatness might start with simply loving the game. 

 

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Keep the Party Going:

From Norway to the American Way:

https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/from-norway-to-the-american-way/

About Dr.Colleen Hacker:

https://sites.google.com/a/plu.edu/colleen-hacker/

Olympic Pressure: https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/02/pressure-olympics-malinin-shiffrin/686097/

 

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After a historic Olympic gold, the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team had a choice. They laughed at a joke targeting the women’s team. They didn’t apologize. They doubled down. And then they compounded it.

This isn’t about one laugh. It’s about a pattern.

Julie Foudy and Abby Wambach respond, not as pundits, but as women who have lived this script their entire careers. The minimization. The “boys will be boys.” The expectation that women should just be grateful to wear the jersey.

There were multiple opportunities to repair the moment. Don’t laugh. Apologize. Take accountability. Don’t become a prop. Stand with your women’s team.

This isn’t red vs. blue. It’s about respect. It’s about character. And it’s about ending the cycle of casual disrespect women in sports have endured for decades.

We’re not moving on until behavior changes. No more silent solidarity. Not on our watch.

 

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Olympic joy, heartbreak, and chaos all in one episode. Billie Jean King joins Julie and Abby fresh off Milan to break down Team USA’s record gold medal haul, Norway’s dominance, and why American women delivered two-thirds of the medals. From Hillary Knight’s gold-medal magic to Chloe Kim’s sportsmanship, Elana Meyers Taylor’s pure joy, and the wild ski-jumping “Penisgate” controversy, nothing’s off limits. Plus: post-Olympic blues, big-moment letdowns, and Julie’s fourth attempt to finally beat Abby in Minute to Win It. Will she ever win?

 

Join the Party:

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

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Email — [email protected]

 

Keep the Party Going:


Penis Gate: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/06/penisgate-winter-olympics-ski-jumpers-acid-penis-health-risks-explainer


The Winn Brothers: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2026/02/19/haley-winn-three-brothers-olympics-matching-looks/88714742007/


USA Women’s Hockey wins gold: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7058003/2026/02/19/usa-canada-olympics-womens-hockey-gold-medal/


Chloe Kim hugging Choi Ga after Ga wins gold: https://sports.yahoo.com/video/chloe-kim-hugging-choi-ga-142928062.html


Women’s Sports Foundation Travel and Training Fund: https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/wsf_programs/travel-training/


Elana Meyers Taylor Interview: The REAL Cost Of Chasing GOLD

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“Do superstitions even work?”
“Yes.”
Slap. Slap. Slap.

This week on Welcome to the Party, Julie Foudy kicks things off solo (with cardboard cutouts of Abby Wambach and Billie Jean King in Milan, obviously) before diving into a women’s sports roundup from Mikaela Shiffrin making history to the U.S. women’s hockey team chasing gold, plus a fresh-look USWNT roster under Emma Hayes.

Then Abby joins and it devolves beautifully: 100-step pregame routines, water bottle flips, same game underwear for four years, and the infamous three self-slaps before kickoff. Are superstitions secret weapons or mental traps? Either way…we’re letting it ride.

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

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Email — [email protected]

Keep the Party Going:

USWNT SheBelieves Cup Roster:

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2025/10/hayes-names-26-player-uswnt-training-camp-roster-october-matches-against-portugal-new-zealand

Savy King’s incredible story:

https://youtu.be/5XWP6HTvdug?si=8QoNLawOCO27Ga7v

Savy King’s nonprofit, Savy King of Hearts: https://savykingofhearts.org/about/

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

-Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ at onepeloton.com https://www.onepeloton.com/

-Visit https://www.wayfair.com/ to get your go to items for game day.
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Abby and Billie Jean King check in from Milan with a Winter Games diary you honestly couldn’t script.

USA Women’s Hockey is dominating on the ice, the arena energy is electric, and the city is buzzing. From superfans in full red-white-and-blue to an unexpected €10 moment at the Duomo, this is what the Games actually feel like on the ground.

Dominance, chaos, and a little jet lag…welcome to Milan.

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

YouTube — ⁠@welcometothepartyshow⁠

Instagram — ⁠@welcometothepartyshow⁠

TikTok — ⁠@welcometothepartyshow⁠

Email — [email protected]

Keep the Party Going:
Watch The Rise: The Inaugural Season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League:
https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/movies/the-rise-the-inaugural-season-of-the-pwhl
Watch The Rise: Gold Medal Girls of the X-Games:
https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/movies/the-rise-the-gold-medal-girls-of-the-xgames/

Follow Marissa Kumari Tandon on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube @marissakumari

Check out our Interview with Elana Meyers Taylor - the Gold Medal winning Bobsledder: The REAL Cost Of Chasing GOLD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=OO-1fu95GSKGBZEi&v=IWrd9o_cuQ4&feature=youtu.be

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