The SpikeNet & Friends Episode 3
- Apr 24
- 2 min read
EPISODE 3 IS LIVE
Episode 3 of SpikeNet & Friends is out, and this one connects every layer of the game, from youth courts to championship stages and front offices. The SpikeNet crew sits down with Sarah Ratzlaff, Vice President of Business Operations & Strategic Partnerships for the Orlando Valkyries, defending 2025 Major League Volleyball champions and one of the flagship organizations pushing pro volleyball forward in the U.S.
BUILDING MORE THAN A CHAMPION
This episode pulls back the curtain on what it means to help lead a professional women’s volleyball franchise in a growing league. Sarah shares her journey from multi-sport athlete and club rugby manager to working in endurance sports at Disney and eventually stepping into senior leadership with the Valkyries, where she now oversees operations, partnerships, and growth strategy. It’s a story about seeing opportunity in sport as a business, not just as competition.
WOMEN, LEADERSHIP, AND THE BUSINESS OF VOLLEYBALL
The conversation hits hard on women in sports, leadership, and why representation in front offices matters just as much as it does on the court. As a female executive leading a women’s pro team in a league where the Valkyries have already won a title and built a strong local presence at Addition Financial Arena, Sarah talks about building community, partnering with local clubs, and creating visible role models for the next generation.
WHY THIS EPISODE MATTERS
If you care about where volleyball is going next, as a business, as a professional pathway, and as a platform for women in leadership, this episode is for you. It shows how a franchise like the Orlando Valkyries is working to grow fan bases, deepen club connections, and make pro volleyball a sustainable, high-level product in the U.S.
WATCH EPISODE 3
Go watch SpikeNet & Friends Episode 3 with Sarah Ratzlaff and get an inside look at how champions are built on the court, in the community, and in the boardroom.
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