The Washington Spirit hosted a special season kickoff event for season ticket members and the media on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf.
Known as Spirit Fest, the special celebration occurred from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM with fans and athletes staying well past the end time. It was a top-notch event for fans as the community the Spirit has built is like no other. Everyone from Spirit staff to hotel employees and the athletes themselves interacted with fans both young and old to truly create a happy, welcoming atmosphere.
Aside from supporting the D.C.-area’s only NWSL team, the Spirit Fest alone is enough of a reason to get season tickets. Season ticket holders were treated to live panels, free food and drinks, and granted unbelievable player access. There were nonstop autograph sessions with all the big names like Trinity Rodman, Croix Bethune, Chloe Ricketts, and Hal Hershfelt. There were plenty of hugs and selfies to go around as players made their way from one side of the event to the other.
If you weren’t taking selfies with Aubrey Kingsbury, you might’ve been busy with Spirit mascot PK the Eagle. Either way, the access to players and personnel made for a special environment you’ll want to experience.
Ahead of the 2025 season, Washington Spirit players talked to us about their goals for the year and look to build off last year’s success. After starting the season red hot, the Spirit fought bravely to make the playoffs after suffering several setbacks with injuries—the biggest of which being Croix Bethune. With the odds stacked against them, they not only made the NWSL Playoffs but made it to the final. It was just written in the cards for Orlando Pride to become champions for the first time, as the Spirit inevitably faced defeat. With a roster at almost 100%, the ladies will be looking for another finals appearance and some hardware to boot.
“Maintaining my health is a big goal for me,” said Bethune, stating her goals for the season. “Build off of the foundation I set for myself. Midfielder of the Year back-to-back sounds pretty cool (laughs) and there are a bunch of other ones but I’ll leave it there.”
With each injury, I’ve learned something new and with this one, it’s God’s timing. It’s not in my hands so just trust that process and that everything happens for a reason.“
Croix Bethune
Croix Bethune and Hal Hershfelt shared their thoughts with me about the upcoming series For the Win: NWSL streaming on Prime Video on Thursday, March 6. The series follows the NWSL clubs that made it to the playoffs and gives unfettered access to current players, legends, and a peek at their lives off the field.
“It was cool, it was a lot of fun. I like how they wanted to focus on me as a person and not just the athlete,” said Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune. “It’s hard for me to let people in, but they get to see a different side of me and people get to see my dog.”
A very vibrant and enthusiastic Hal Hershfelt felt similarly about her experience recording the docuseries. “It was cool. That was my first time ever doing something like that… (laughs) I was a little nervous,” she began. She, and Bethune, had significant face time in the series, which you’ll be able to read about in our review on March 5th. “The preview looked so cool so I’m interested to watch the whole thing. I hope I didn’t embarrass myself too much!”
The Spirit concluded a successful Spirit Fest to kick off 2025 and have their first test this Friday, March 7, as they’re set for a rematch against Orlando Pride in the NWSL Challenge Cup Final. Their home opener will be on Saturday, March 22, 2025, as they host KC Current.
-Jon Jones
Photo: Eyoel Fassil
[…] to last year’s Spirit Fest, the most popular feature of the event was the meet-and-greet with the players. With the Anthem […]