EPISODE 2: LASTING FRIENDSHIPS THROUGH SOCCER (LEGACY OF THE WAGS RAEL VODICKA MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT)

In Episode 2 of From Pitch to Purpose, we celebrate the rich history and enduring legacy of the WAGS Rael Vodicka Memorial Tournament. Now in its 51st year, taking place October 10–12, 2026, WAGS welcomes more than 740 girls’ teams from across the country for a tournament that represents so much more than soccer.

We sit down with two extraordinary women who have helped shape that legacy: Adele Dolansky, who served as WAGS president for 20 years during the tournament’s early years, and Lula Bauer, the current Chairwoman.

Through their stories, we explore how WAGS has grown into a platform for opportunity, empowerment, and progress for women and girls in soccer. From collegiate and professional pathways to scholarships, the Legacy Division, coaching and referee education, and childcare grants, WAGS continues to open doors and create opportunities that extend far beyond the pitch.

Adele and Lula take us back through the decades, sharing memories of Rael Vodicka’s impact, the dances and college profiles of an earlier era, the evolution of women’s soccer in the 1970s in Northern Virginia, and the tournament’s growth and transformation in recent years.

At the heart of this conversation is a powerful truth: lasting change begins when someone has the courage to speak up. Rael, Adele, and Lula each helped find and amplify that voice, leaving a legacy that continues to shape the game and inspire generations of women and girls.

This is more than the story of a tournament. It’s the story of vision, perseverance, and the power of creating opportunities for those who follow.

Because the impact of a voice doesn’t end when the conversation does. It lives on in every door opened, every barrier broken, and every girl who dares to dream bigger.