During Natalie Nakase’s childhood, her father Gary turned their Huntington Beach backyard into a training ground that served as the foundation for her coaching career.
“My dad being my best friend, I’d enjoy just spending any moments, any time with him,” the Valkyries coach said. “We just enjoyed watching basketball together, or him rebounding for me, or him making me go train extra.”
Gary was tough, exacting, and deeply invested in teaching his daughter the game. They’d watch the Showtime Lakers, his favorite team, on TV so Nakase could study Magic Johnson’s passing flair. He made a point to take her to see the best point guards in town. One night, when a teenage Nakase wanted to hang out with friends, her father insisted on driving up to Santa Monica to watch rising high school star and future Warrior Baron Davis.
Gary was the mentor and inspiration that predated Doc Rivers, Tyronn Lue, and Joe Mazzulla, all of whom Nakase would later lean on. His mind influenced her basketball instincts, her discipline, and her toughness. His presence, though now absent, continues to guide the 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year.
As Nakase paces the sideline and calls out plays inside Chase Center, scenes from her childhood repeat themselves in the stands. Fathers leaning forward. Daughters beside them. These days, they’re watching women at the highest level — coaching, playing, and leading.
The Standard spoke to the Girl Dads ushering in a generation of Valkyries fans to understand what attending games with their daughters means to them.
Anthony and Maya made the 230-mile drive up the coast to attend their first Valkyries game after building a family tradition around basketball at home. Maya, sporting a Kaitlyn Chen jersey, often watches alongside her dad and older brother.
“When the WNBA was first created, all I really knew was Lisa Leslie. Now Maya is going to see a ton more. I’m glad to have my son watching it too, he’s probably seeing more Valkyries games than NBA games on TV. I coach a bunch of my son’s sports, and getting to see girls in that space, I’m prepping for her to be able to jump into that.”
With school out for the summer, John and Joslyn attended their first Valkyries game together after years of going to Warriors games. Joslyn says her favorite part of going to Chase Center is simply spending time with her dad.
“There really weren’t that many professional sports opportunities for women when I was growing up. Outside of the Olympians, the only time you really started to see professional women’s sports worldwide was when the women’s World Cup started taking off. It’s awesome to see the proliferation of women athletes, both at the amateur and professional level. It’s just great. We don’t look at it as women’s sports or men’s sports — we just see it as sports.”
Andrew and his daughter Lyla are already regulars at Valkyries games despite her early bedtime that creeps up on the family around halftime. He’s been a women’s basketball fan since attending Cal and watching the program’s rise under former head coaches Joanne Boyle and Lindsay Gottlieb.
“Having her, we wanted to pass that along to her so she can see women excelling in sports and know that it’s a potential career track if she’d want to pursue it professionally. I want her to absorb a love of sports. As she gets older, I really want her to gain an appreciation and love for the game, too.”
Ed and Adleigh have been to three Valkyries games and as South Bay residents, they frequent Bay FC matches together. As a soccer midfielder and basketball guard, Adleigh loves watching the sports she plays, and Ed hopes seeing women compete at the pro level will reinforce the values of hard work and determination.
“I certainly didn’t see all of this when I was growing up. There was no WNBA, there were no Valkyries back then, so it’s nice to now have these women’s pro sports teams in the Bay Area for me to take my daughter to. I want her to see that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”
Joe and Charlotte have been bonding over Bay Area sports since she was little, enjoying Giants and Warriors games together. For Charlotte, the best part of the outing is feeling the excitement and emotions of the game alongside her dad.
“Being able to connect through a venue that hosts women’s sports, it doesn’t have to be a men’s team, that’s really fun and enjoyable.”
Connor grew up in the East Bay attending Warriors games during the lean pre-Steph Curry years when the team struggled but Oracle Arena was still one of the loudest venues in sports. Now he’s taking Teagan and Logan to enjoy the only remotely comparable atmosphere: ‘Ballhalla’ for a Valkyries game. The girls love sports — they play basketball, flag football, and lacrosse — and Connor hopes they’re inspired by what they see inside the arena.
“It’s awesome being able to take them to a women’s sporting event and just have a WNBA team here in the Bay Area that we can root for. The fact that there are opportunities for them — that if that’s something they want to do, they can realize it’s not just a man’s thing to be a professional athlete — that’s awesome. I want them to be good people, care about their community, take care of each other, be passionate, and enjoy life.”
Varun and Amelia are season-ticket holders who enjoy attending games together during the summer. Varun says his daughter is far more engaged watching women play because she can more easily relate to the athletes.
“She gets into it a lot more. It’s vastly different from when I grew up. It’s great to see boys and girls get the opportunity to come out and watch and see other girls. I think it’s a great atmosphere, everybody’s very supportive and optimistic.”
Joshua doesn’t consider himself a big sports fan. His daughter Akira is the real expert. She can name every Valkyrie and follows the WNBA closely — plus is sure to cheer louder at games than her brother. Joshua, who appreciates the family-friendly atmosphere, bought season-tickets with a few other families when the Valkyries launched.
“We never have had a chance to go to a Warriors game, but we have access to these games, and we just fell in love with it. I love being a dad. Whatever I can do to fill her time up and her brain up, I just really enjoy being a dad with both of my kids. It’s about finding the right activities for them that they love to engage with. What’s most fun is knowing how much she loves it.”
Mitul had been talking with his daughters Nitya and Jiva about attending a Valkyries game since last year, and the family finally made it happen. He coaches Nitya’s middle school soccer team and says the time they spend on the field together is easily the best part of his week.
“It’s surreal to see people that look like them. They see me watching men’s sports all the time, and to be able to see women — people they can reflect on — is really cool. It’s phenomenal to be able to see teams like the Valkyries and look at the atmosphere here.”
Sports are a family affair for the Tans, with Calvin coaching his daughter Charlotte’s soccer team and her mother coaching basketball. Charlotte’s favorite sport is softball and her favorite athlete is Steph Curry.
“It’s a lot of work and dedication, but it’s a fun time. It’s good to see the girls playing. We want to see what other sports are out there, support those teams, and give her ideas. If she wants to keep playing, she can play sports in college and after college.”
Aaron and his daughter Mila hold ticket packages for the 49ers, Ballers, and Roots, but Valkyries games carry special weight: for Mila, it’s a chance to cheer for athletes she sees herself in. A former high school girls basketball coach, Aaron loves that Mila’s favorite athletes are Tiffany Hayes and Sabrina Ionescu.
“I’ve always had that foundation of an affinity for women’s sports and athletics, but it’s different as a dad because you’re responsible for her experience, then partnering with my wife to curate these experiences that are meaningful and purposeful. At home, she’ll be like ‘Dad, make sure you’re watching girls basketball versus boy’s basketball.’ Last year, her favorite chant was the “G-S-V” and she’d bring that from the game to home.”
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