Olympic soccer legend Abby Wambach and comedian Kristin Key joined forces as a celebrity cornhole team for Hermosa Beach Pride’s Pride Play Day, bringing star power to a weekend that blended sport, music and drag.
A New Athletic Dimension to Pride
The pair faced off against tournament champions Kate Moreau and Hannah Rubin in a tightly contested final that drew cheers from a crowd that included local businesses and allies.
Hermosa Beach Pride, an LGBTQ+ organization best known for its vibrant parade, used the event to showcase a broader vision of inclusion that extends beyond traditional celebrations.
Organized by the group’s president Millie Martinez Stordeur, the cornhole tournament was part of a deliberate effort to add an athletic component to the Pride weekend, a goal the organization had pursued for years.
Stordeur noted that the event resonated with a growing number of LGBTQ+ residents who feel safe enough to call Hermosa Beach home, a shift she attributes to the community’s welcoming atmosphere.
Local sponsors such as Creamy Boys Ice Cream, Gitana Cafe and the LA Clippers helped fund the festivities, illustrating how businesses are increasingly aligning with Pride initiatives.
Beyond the Game
The weekend also featured a Drag Show and a community parade, reinforcing the message that Pride is as much about celebration as it is about advocacy.
Wambach, who has lived in Hermosa Beach with her wife, writer Glennon Doyle, for more than two decades, used her platform to highlight the importance of community and inclusivity, while also promoting their podcast “We Can Do Hard Things” produced through their media company Treat Media.
The participation of high‑profile athletes and entertainers signals a new chapter for Hermosa Beach Pride, one that blends sport, media and activism to reach wider audiences.