When Chicago hosted the 2026 WNBA All-Star game last weekend, there were a lot of events prior to Saturday’s game. The first event I attended was Voices of the Game.
Held at Avec on the Near North Side, Voices of the Game was a panel discussion moderated by Syd Scott, daughter of the late Stuart Scott of ESPN. The panel consisted of analyst Ari Chambers, Netflix anchor Elle Duncan, NBC Sports analyst LaChina Robinson and content creator Coach Jackie J. The event celebrated women in sports while raising funds for the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund.
Syd Scott
Elle Duncan
Arriving early, I chatted a bit with Coach Jackie. Self-admittedly not a journalist but an influencer, Coach Jackie first rose to fame covering the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Sometimes a polarizing figure, she was named to the Time100 Creators list this year. In town through Sunday, Coach Jackie said Chicago pizza is on her list of things to do.
Coach Jackie
I also met Shana Sumers, a player for the Chicago Winds women’s football team. I have seen her in action many times but never had the chance to really talk. Debuting in 2025, the Winds play in the Women’s National Football Conference. After finishing in third place in the Central Division this season, the team returns to action next spring.
Shana Sumers
After introductions, Scott led the panel through serious topics, including treating women equally but still protecting them in places like locker rooms. The diversity of the women involved made it even more interesting. It was a serious, hard look at women in all aspects of sports. They didn’t all agree on everything, but they all had the same goal of celebrating and furthering growth in women’s sports.
— John Wroblewski, online writer
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