WAGS Names Girls Soccer Network as Communications and Digital Media Partner

Girls Soccer Network will lead year-round storytelling, digital media and communications to expand WAGS’ reach and highlight its impact.

WASHINGTON DC, DC, UNITED STATES, September 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Women and Girls in Soccer (WAGS) today announced Girls Soccer Network (GSN) as its new Communications and Digital Media Partner. The partnership will expand WAGS’ year-round communications, strengthen the reach of the WAGS Tournament and bring greater visibility to the organization’s programs, people and impact.
Founded in 1974 by Rael Vodicka and a small group of volunteers, WAGS was created at a time when opportunities for girls to compete in soccer were limited. More than 50 years later, WAGS continues to build on that pioneering vision.

“WAGS is much more than a tournament. Since becoming a charitable organization in 2016, we have expanded our mission to create meaningful opportunities for women and girls throughout soccer, supporting players, coaches, referees and leaders and helping them remain connected to the game,” said Lula Bauer, Chairwoman of Women and Girls in Soccer.

The WAGS Tournament remains central to that mission and is the organization’s primary funding source, enabling WAGS to support programs and initiatives that create opportunities for women and girls throughout soccer.
“We wanted a partner who understood the much bigger story of WAGS and could help us share it,” said Bauer. “From our first conversations with Jen, Stefanie and the GSN team, there was an immediate connection. They understood our legacy and the opportunity ahead to reach more people and create even greater impact for women and girls in soccer.”

“We were drawn to WAGS because of its extraordinary history and the work it continues to do today,” said Jen Gruskoff, Co-Founder of Girls Soccer Network. “We are excited to help tell that story, celebrate the women and girls who make up the WAGS community and connect more people to the impact of this awesome organization.”
Stefanie Caliri, Director of Communications & Partnerships, Girls Soccer Network, will work alongside Gruskoff to lead the WAGS partnership, overseeing communications operations, coordination and partnership initiatives.
GSN will support WAGS through communications strategy, digital storytelling, social media, creative development and content strategy. The partnership begins as WAGS prepares for the 2026 WAGS Tournament, October 10–12, and will establish a year-round communications strategy to increase awareness of WAGS, its programs and its impact.
More than five decades after Rael Vodicka and the founding women of WAGS opened doors for girls in soccer, WAGS remains committed to opening those doors wider for the generations to come.

About WAGS
Founded in 1974 as the first organized girls’ soccer league in the United States, Women and Girls in Soccer (WAGS) helped ignite a movement that forever changed opportunities for girls in the game.
Today, WAGS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering and advancing women and girls through soccer. What began as a pioneering league has evolved into a mission-driven organization that invests in programs, partnerships and initiatives that create meaningful opportunities for women and girls throughout the soccer community.

About Girls Soccer Network
Founded in 2017, Girls Soccer Network is a media and community platform dedicated to girls’ and women’s soccer. Through original editorial, social media, podcasts, events, mentorship and community programs, GSN connects players and families across the soccer journey, from the youth game through college and the professional level.

Lula Bauer
Women and Girls in Soccer, INC
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