Podcast Summary: Welcome to the Party – "Introducing Coffee with the Kinger"
Podcast: Welcome to the Party
Episode: Introducing Coffee with the Kinger
Date: January 13, 2026
Hosts: Julie Foudy (A), Abby Wambach (C), Billie Jean King (B)
Theme: Welcoming listeners to an all-women’s sports space, featuring candid conversations, fun, and insight into change-making in women’s athletics. Episode debut of a regular segment: “Coffee with the Kinger.”
Episode Overview
This lively roundtable episode marks the launch of the “Coffee with the Kinger” segment, bringing together soccer legends Julie Foudy and Abby Wambach with tennis icon Billie Jean King. These three sporting powerhouses reflect on the importance of fun in women’s sports, share personal stories and insights, discuss cultural moments and equity in sports, and set intentions for the year ahead. The tone is supportive, humorous, and inspiring, offering both nostalgia and hope for the future.
Key Discussion Points
1. Women’s Sports Community & “Coffee with the Kinger” Launch
- The hosts emphasize the show’s mission of celebration and inclusion in women’s sports.
- Billie Jean King’s presence is highlighted as a legend and the inspiration for the new recurring segment.
- “Kinger was in town and she said, let's all get together. And we were like, great idea.” (A, 01:03)
- Laughter over Julie “showering” for the gathering (01:11) sets the playful tone.
2. TV Representation and “Heated Rivalry”
- Discussion about the HBO/Max show Heated Rivalry, which centers on two top male hockey players in a secret relationship:
- Abby relates personally: “It’s such a special show for me because I see so much of myself in these characters… the hiding and the fear of it coming out.” (C, 03:11)
- All discuss the significance of seeing LGBTQ+ stories in sports media.
- Billie Jean reflects on her own experience losing all endorsements after coming out:
“I lost everything overnight. Every endorsement I had overnight in 24 hours gone. And that won’t happen today, which is great.” (B, 06:45)
- Noted challenge—male athletes still hesitant to come out because of lost opportunities.
3. Excitement for Upcoming Women’s Sports Events (08:00–14:00)
- The trio looks ahead at storylines for 2026:
- Billie and her wife Ilana are attending the Winter Olympics; focus on alpine skiing (Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn), women’s hockey, and bobsledding.
- Abby shares a childhood dream inspired by Olympic figure skating, recalling her eighth-grade journal:
“I just wrote, Abby Wambach, you will be an Olympic gold medalist for women's soccer.” (C, 11:35)
- Discussion of new professional women’s golf leagues, like the TGL started by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, with LPGA participation.
- Celebrating the origins of women’s professional golf:
“The LPGA was the first women's pro anything. In 1950. Thirteen of the members started it.” (B, 17:56)
4. On Building Sustainable Women’s Leagues
- Optimism and anxiety around the explosion of new leagues (WNBA’s changing CBA, Unrivaled, Project B):
- Billie: “I want them to make it. I just pray…long term. Money's going up for the players, but the owners do better. I just pray every time there's a new thing.” (B, 19:01)
5. Party Starter & Drafting Intentions for 2026 (22:00–28:00)
- Segment: “Draft Party – Starting Three for a Better 2026”
- Abby: “You have to lay out and set intentions…for us to do our own individual intentions, to express those to each other and then create a familial/marriage intention.” (C, 22:35)
- Julie emphasizes balancing marriage and family over just children.
- Health and wellness are a recurring priority: gluten-free eating, seeking physical challenges like “Rim to Rim” hikes, and building regular social exercise (“board meetings” on the beach for sand volleyball).
- The hosts encourage listeners to view intentions as motivational, not stressful.
6. The Power of Routine, Motivation, and Healthy Habits
- “Coffee with the Kinger” zeroes in on realistic approaches to New Year’s intentions:
- Billie teases out the futility of most resolutions:
“I don't do resolutions. For the first month of January, the gyms are packed... by February 1st, no one's there.” (B, 33:20)
- King’s current personal goal: staying active, knowing the research, and logging workouts:
“I'm supposed to have at least 150 minutes of working out. Half of that time has to be kind of vigorous... That means tennis, baby.” (B, 34:14)
- Abby and Julie share hacks for habit formation:
- “Eat the Frog” – do the hardest thing first in the day. (C, 36:03)
- Signing up for group workouts with late-cancel fees for accountability.
- Emphasis on the “20 minute rule” – sometimes you have to push through the early resistance to feel good exercising.
- Billie teases out the futility of most resolutions:
7. Modeling Service and Gratitude (46:25–51:00)
- Julie expresses a desire to better model service and gratitude for her kids:
- “I want my kids…to be grateful. These kids are given so much…I want them to understand service. Like servant leadership.” (A, 46:29)
- Story of volunteering at Glenwood House for adults with disabilities and wanting to return to that.
- Billie and Abby reassure Julie about her impact as a role model.
- Reflection on parental humility:
“That's where I think I get it…my mom…She says, 'I know, but it just feels excessive. I don't need that. We should be giving it to others.'” (A, 48:32)
8. Intentionality, Therapy, and Showing Up for Yourself
- The trio discusses the importance of therapy, self-reflection, and being intentional:
- “I've had a ton [of therapy]…I've done it since 95. And I'm telling you, for me, it works.” (B, 40:10)
- Abby: “Showing up is the goal...after three weeks, now it becomes the habit. Now I'm a person who works out.” (C, 39:16)
- Small, consistent steps matter more than dramatic resolutions.
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On “Heated Rivalry” and Representation:
"I see so much of myself in these characters… the hiding and the fear of it coming out."
— Abby Wambach, 03:11 -
On Coming Out and Endorsements:
"I lost everything overnight. Every endorsement I had in 24 hours gone. That won’t happen today, which is great.”
— Billie Jean King, 06:45 -
On Olympic Dreams:
"Abby Wambach, you will be an Olympic gold medalist for women's soccer."
— Abby Wambach, 11:35 -
On New Leagues and Hope:
"I want them to make it...I just pray every time there’s a new thing."
— Billie Jean King, 19:01 -
On Intentions and Family:
"You have to lay out and set intentions...for me, it's to sit with my wife, to do our own individual intentions, to express those to each other and then create a familial/marriage intention."
— Abby Wambach, 22:35 -
On Building Habits:
“Showing up is the goal. I don't care what the hell happens when I'm there. Just as long as I show up every single time…after three weeks, now I'm a person who works out.”
— Abby Wambach, 39:16 -
On Service and Parenting:
“I want my kids…to be grateful. I want them to understand service. Like servant leadership.”
— Julie Foudy, 46:29
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:45–01:14 – Hosts introduce themselves; excitement and banter about being together
- 01:42–06:45 – LGBTQ+ representation in sports and the impact of “Heated Rivalry”
- 08:30–13:17 – Anticipation for the 2026 Winter Olympics and personal Olympic memories
- 14:02–19:39 – New professional leagues in women’s sports and concerns for sustainability
- 22:35–27:20 – Intentions and habits for 2026, balancing personal and family wellness
- 32:55–34:55 – “Coffee with the Kinger” begins: Billie Jean King on resolutions, exercise, and aging
- 36:03–40:10 – “Eat the Frog,” creating habits, accountability in working out; using group classes
- 46:25–51:18 – Modeling service, reflecting on privilege, and passing on values to next generation
Episode Vibe & Tone
- Fun, supportive, irreverent (“The first party rule is: have a sh*t ton of fun”)
- Open and heartfelt — candid about struggles, insecurities, and aspirations
- Uplifting, both nostalgic and future-focused
Conclusion
This episode inaugurates “Coffee with the Kinger,” setting the stage for regular, unscripted, and honest conversations among three of sports’ most influential women. True to the show’s mission, it brims with optimism, humor, and encouragement for listeners to join a relentless, joyful movement to uplift and expand women’s sports.
Memorable Moment:
“Look at us. Isn’t this exciting?”
— Billie Jean King (00:58)
The episode underscores that whether you’re an athlete or a fan, what matters is showing up, building your community, investing in yourself and others, and — above all — having fun along the way.