This is episode 2 of Stronger than Ever, a show about big dreams, unexpected obstacles and the rise to becoming the strongest version of yourself.

Ashley Hatch is a forward for the Washington Spirit. She’s an NWSL champion, the 2017 NWSL Rookie of the Year and the 2021 NWSL Golden Boot winner. She’s one of the league’s most prolific goal scorers ever, with 59 career goals.

But her story goes far beyond the stats.

In this interview, Ashley opens up about one of the toughest moments of her career, being the final cut from the 2023 USWNT World Cup roster, and how she found her way back to loving the game.

From redefining success to letting go of outside expectations, she shares what she’s learned about identity, resilience, and choosing to love soccer again on her own terms.

Play Rebel ⚡ Stay Rebel

This is episode 6 of  Stronger than Ever, a show about big dreams, unexpected obstacles and the rise to becoming the strongest version of yourself. 

Four-time Olympic medalist Jordan Larson is the most decorated American indoor volleyball player ever. When her professional career was just getting started, her mother received a devastating diagnosis. On her journey to the top of the volleyball world, Jordan also learned how to overcome her grief and balance life and volleyball without her mom. That path made her Stronger than Ever.

Play Rebel ⚡ Stay Rebel

Before Julia Donlin was a beach volleyball All-American and two-time collegiate national champion, she was navigating the effects of multiple concussions suffered while playing indoor volleyball. Her comeback didn’t just take her to a new court, but on a journey to find herself and what’s truly important. A hopeful for LA28, Julia is now stronger than ever. 

Play Rebel ⚡ Stay Rebel

This is episode 5 of Stronger than Ever, a show about big dreams, unexpected obstacles and the rise to becoming the strongest version of yourself. 

Holly Aitchison is one of the best women’s rugby players in the world, starting at fly-half for the England national team. But that’s only part of her story. Throughout her adolescence, she battled acne. That journey reshaped and redefined her confidence, but left her stronger than ever, and starring at the Rugby World Cup and Six Nations for her country. 

Play Rebel ⚡ Stay Rebel

This is episode 7 of  Stronger than Ever, a show about big dreams, unexpected obstacles and the rise to becoming the strongest version of yourself. 

Before basketball became Faatimah A's profession, it was her escape; giving her control and a path forward while spending her middle school years in a shelter as a young Muslim girl in a post-9/11 world. That journey has made her Stronger than Ever.

Today, she is shaping the next generation of basketball players as a member of the Jamaican National Team, and the founder of the Women’s Premier Basketball Association.

Play Rebel ⚡ Stay Rebel

Introducing Stronger than Ever, a show about big dreams, unexpected obstacles and the rise to becoming the strongest version of yourself.

Jordan Chiles is a three-time Olympic medalist, a world champion, and one of Team USA’s most electrifying gymnasts. She closed out her career at UCLA as a 16-time All-American, NCAA Champion, and a New York Times best-selling author, but she’s so much more than that. 

In the debut episode of Stronger than Ever, Jordan opens up about who she is beyond the sport. From prioritizing her mental health to redefining what strength really means, she shares what she’s learned about failure, finding her support systems, and discovering herself outside of being an athlete.

Play Rebel ⚡ Stay Rebel

This is episode 4 of Stronger than Ever, a show about big dreams, unexpected obstacles and the rise to becoming the strongest version of yourself. 

On May 9, 2025, Savy King collapsed on the pitch during an NWSL match. When she woke up in the hospital, her first question was if she’d ever play soccer again. 310 days later, after open heart surgery, she was back on the field for Angel City FC.  She returned stronger than ever, on and off pitch. She details how she came back physically, what she learned mentally and her new outlook and perspective on life.

Play Rebel ⚡ Stay Rebel

For this mini-series, we sat down with seven athletes across different sports to not only hear their stories of real resilience, but to give them space to tell those stories in their own way. From coming back from an injury to rising through grief, each athlete found her way back to confidence and self-worth. And in doing that, they showed us what it truly means to be a Rebel Girl, staying true to themselves through everything that life threw at them.

Season One is live on the Rebel Girls podcast and YouTube channel so go check it out. And don't forget to stay tuned for Season Two coming this fall. As always, Stay Rebel!

Masai Russell didn't just break the 100m hurdles world record — she became the first woman since 1988 to hold the record AND Olympic gold at the same time! 🏃‍♀️🥇 And the week only gets bigger from there...

This week on the Weekly Sports Show, Pepper's got the scoop on:
🎾 Naomi Osaka's US Open tribute to Allen Iverson — styled by the legendary Law Roach!
🏐 Nebraska volleyball won in front of almost 40,000 fans at the Cowboys' stadium
🎬 The girl who played Serena's movie double in King Richard just made her US Open debut FOR REAL
🏀 The WNBA playoff field is SET + the FIBA World Cup starts this week!And so much more!
Plus, Reggae Girlz captain Konya Plummer shares the self-talk she uses when things don't go as planned in this week's Pep Talk 💬
Catch new episodes every Friday as we bring you all of the news in Women’s Sports.

Play Rebel ⚡ Stay Rebel

This season, we invited kids to interview our storytellers. Today, you'll hear from Yuan Yuan Tan who narrated the previous episode about Alicia Alonso. If you haven't yet listened to last week's episode, now is a great time to go back and check it out.

About Yuan Yuan :

Yuan Yuan Tan is a Principal dancer with the famous San Francisco Ballet, celebrating her record-breaking 25th anniversary in this 2020 season. Born in Shanghai, Yuan Yuan began dancing when she was 11 years old and went on to become the youngest principal dancer in the history of the San Francisco Ballet. She also continues to perform several times a year in China where she also frequently participates in teaching workshops, competitions, and other community programs to nurture new generations of dancers. [This episode originally aired May 2020.]

Learn more:

If you want to learn more about Ballerina Alicia Alonso, grab a copy of our full chapter book Alicia Alonso Takes the Sage: https://www.rebelgirls.com/products/alicia-alonso-takes-the-stage

Credits: This podcast is based on the book series also titled Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. Our Executive Producers are Elena Favilli and Joy Fowlkes. This season was produced by John Marshall Cheary, Sarah Storm, and Robin Lai. This episode was written by Elizabeth Eulberg and edited by Pam Gruber. Maithy Vu proofread. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi who has also sound designed this episode. Mattia Marcelli was the sound mixer.