KVRU 1057's "The Forecast" is a Seattle-based weekly sports show dedicated to women's sports, hosted by Maggie Mertens. The show aims to shift the focus from traditionally male-dominated sports coverage to highlight local women's teams such as the Seattle Storm, Salmon Bay FC, the Seattle Reign, and the Seattle Majestics, among others. Maggie, a seasoned journalist, alongside producer Jeff Scott Shaw, is committed to making women's sports the main event, providing in-depth interviews and discussions on the latest scores and headlines.

This week's show highlights include discussions on Seattle's connections to Team USA at the Olympics, hot takes on ski jumping, and interviews with Anna Gibson, an Olympian in ski mountaineering, and Latoya Brackett, a professor discussing athletes and protest.

The show also covers the performance of the University of Washington's women's basketball team, which recently won against the University of Oregon despite scoring below their usual winning threshold. In contrast, Team USA's women's hockey team is highlighted for their dominant performance at the Olympics, having given up only one goal throughout the tournament.

Anna Gibson, a former track star, is making her Olympic debut in ski mountaineering, a new event at the Winter Games. She shares her journey from trail running to competing in this challenging sport. The show also discusses the historical context of athlete protests, featuring insights from Dr. Latoya Brackett on the impact of protests by Black athletes, such as the iconic 1968 Olympic protest by Tommy Smith and John Carlos.

The episode concludes with a focus on upcoming events, including the gold medal match for Team USA women's hockey and Anna Gibson's participation in the ski mountaineering mixed relay.

0:00 - Weekly Sports Recap

11:37 - Interview with USA Ski Mountaineering Olympian Anna Gibson

24:54 - Maggie’s Hot Take : “Women’s Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Inclusion”

24:54 - Interview with USA Olympic Speed Skater Eunice Lee

36:35 - Interview with Latoya Brackett on “When Black Athletes Speak Up” and Olympic Activism

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Anna Gibson was raised in Jackson, Wyoming. She won 17 overall Wyoming state titles in three sports: track, cross country, and Nordic skiing, while also being named the valedictorian of her high school class.

Gibson attended the University of Washington, focusing on cross country and track and field, excelling especially in middle-distance running. In 2024, she made the 1500m semifinal at the U.S. Olympic Trials. The following year, Gibson would win a bronze medal in the women’s uphill 6km event while representing Team USA at the World Mountain and Trail Running World Championships.

She was recruited to the U.S. ski mountaineering team by 13-time national champion Cam Smith because of her background in Nordic Skiing and track and field. In her first-ever World Cup race, Gibson, alongside Smith, became the first American team ever to win a mixed relay World Cup event. By winning the race, they qualified the U.S. for an Olympic berth at the Winter Olympics Milano Cortina 2026 where SkiMo will make its Winter Games debut.

Gibson, after winning her first race: “It feels so normal to be here, which is crazy, because this is my first one. It just feels right you know?. I’m all about this sport. This is so fun. I’m not about to stop doing anything else I’m doing, but there will be lots more of this in my future.”

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/annaagibsonn

Website : https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/anna-gibson

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LaToya Brackett is an associate professor of African American studies at the University of Puget Sound, where she also serves as a member of the leadership team for the Race & Pedagogy Institute. A scholar with two degrees in Black studies, one from Cornell University and the other from Michigan State, she is an interdisciplinarian who centers the Black experience.

Website : https://www.latoyabrackett.com/

Instagram : www.instagram.com/blacktaxtic_msadventures

Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau : https://www.humanities.org/speaker/latoya-brackett-2/

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The Forecast is a Production of :

KVRU (https://www.kvru.org/shows/the-forecast/) & JEFFSCOTTSHAW

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Executive Producer + Host // Maggie Mertens // [email protected]

Executive Producer // JEFFSCOTTSHAW // [email protected]

Additional Production Support Provided By // Crystal Fincher & Shannon Cheng & Maurice Jones Jr.

KVRU 1057's "The Forecast" is a Seattle-based weekly sports show dedicated to women's sports, hosted by Maggie Mertens. The show aims to shift the focus from traditionally male-dominated sports coverage to highlight local women's teams such as the Seattle Storm, Salmon Bay FC, the Seattle Reign, and the Seattle Majestics, among others. Maggie, a seasoned journalist, alongside producer Jeff Scott Shaw, is committed to making women's sports the main event, providing in-depth interviews and discussions on the latest scores and headlines. Overall, "The Forecast" provides a comprehensive look at women's sports in Seattle, combining sports coverage with cultural and social commentary, aiming to engage and inform its audience

The introductory show covers a wide range of topics, including the performance of Seattle athletes in the Winter Olympics, with notable mentions of the Seattle Torrent players' contributions to Team USA's victories. Additionally, the program discusses the University of Washington Huskies' basketball season and the challenges they face in the competitive landscape.

Maggie delves into the Unrivaled basketball tournament, highlighting the performances of various teams and players, including the Breeze and their coach Noelle Quinn. The show addresses broader issues in sports, such as the impact of political activism by athletes and the ongoing negotiations in the WNBA.

In the first interview of the second segment, Maggie interviews local short track Olympian Eunice Lee who got her speedskating start with the Puget Sound Speed Skating Club. Eunice will compete in the women’s 3000 meter relay on Saturday February 14th.

In the final segment, journalist Frankie De La Cretaz joins the show and explores the complexities of the PWHL's growth, including the challenges of maintaining safe and inclusive environments for fans amidst increasing mainstream attention. The discussion also touches on the financial and ethical considerations of league ownership and the importance of supporting players over franchises.

0:00 - Weekly Sports Recap

17:25 - Jeff’s Hot Take : “No WNBA Season”

19:45 - Maggie’s Hot Take : “USA Olympic Athletes Speaking Out”

23:30 - Interview with USA Olympic Speed Skater Eunice Lee

31:38 - Maggie’s Seattle Torrent Game Experience

37:21 - Interview with Frankie De La Cretaz - PWHL & Activism

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Eunice Lee grew up in Bellevue, Washington, and when she moved there at age 6 from South Korea, she joined her brother and sister in speedskating at her local club, Puget Sound Speedskating Club.

Eleven years later, she was the youngest speedskater, at only age 17, named to the U.S. speedskating team for the Beijing Games. Lee was the relay team’s backup and did not compete in Beijing. Two years at the 2024 world championships, she was a part of the U.S. relay team that won a world championships silver medal, the first world medal for the American women in this event since 2012.

Lee missed the following season with an ankle injury before returning to represent the U.S. during the 2025-2026 ISU Short Track World Tour and helped the U.S. women finish third at the last stop in Dordrecht, Netherlands, to qualify a relay team for the Milano Cortina 2026.

Off the ice, Lee attends Duke, where she is studying chemistry and biology on a pre-med track.

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/lee_eunice_

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Frankie De La Cretaz is a freelance writer whose work sits at the intersection of sports, gender, culture, and queerness. Their writing is a mix between reported journalism and creative nonfiction, and they teach writing classes at GrubStreet.

Their work has been featured in the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Vogue, the Washington Post, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, The Atlantic, and many others.

Their book, HAIL MARY: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League, is co-written with Lyndsey D’Arcangelo is available now, from Bold Type Books. The book was called “a delight” by Publisher’s Weekly and named one of the Los Angeles Times’ “10 sports books we loved in 2021.”

Instagram : http://instagram.com/thefrankiedlc

Website : https://www.britnidlc.com/

Writing Library : https://authory.com/FrankiedelaCretaz

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The Forecast is a Production of :

KVRU (https://www.kvru.org/shows/the-forecast/) & JEFFSCOTTSHAW

_____________________________________________________________

Executive Producer + Host // Maggie Mertens // [email protected]

Executive Producer // JEFFSCOTTSHAW // [email protected]

Additional Production Support Provided By // Crystal Fincher & Shannon Cheng & Maurice Jones Jr.