Erin Lim

In sports, even when the game is extremely physical, sometimes the biggest tests happen in our own minds. In this episode, we'll hear pieces from San Quentin and The California Institution for Women that show how healthy competition can help us connect us to other people and push us to do better ourselves. And even with a special chess match or a middle school track meet, those challenges can be way more than just games. Uncuffed: More Than A Game Click the button above to listen!

The Golden State Valkyries are known for embracing their queer fandom. But the WNBA wasn’t always so accepting. It took years of pushing for change to get where we are today, both from the outside by fans, and from people within the teams. One pivotal moment came out of the Valkyries’ Northern California predecessors, the Sacramento Monarchs. When a lesbian group stillfaced homophobia at the hands of the franchise, they decided to do something about it — and made history.

Following the success of the 1996 US Olympic women's basketball gold medal, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced the creation of a new Women’s National Basketball Association—the WNBA. Thirty years later, the WNBA is doing better than ever. But a lot has happened over the decades. We hear from three different perspectives on the WNBA and how the league has evolved over the years.