Veterans at Walser win inaugural Battle of the ERGs kickball title

Veterans at Walser went unbeaten to win Walser Automotive Group’s first Battle of the ERGs kickball tournament on July 17, claiming the inaugural G.O.A.T. trophy and setting the first standard for the company’s new internal rivalry. The four-team field featured Women of Walser, Drive with Pride, Veterans at Walser and the Asian Hmong Alliance, turning a workplace event into a real kickball competition with stakes inside the company.

Walser framed the tournament as a day built around friendly competition, team spirit and plenty of laughs, but the undefeated run gave Veterans at Walser the clearest claim to the crown. Even without a published score line, the final result showed the event had enough bite to produce a true champion and enough structure to make the first edition matter beyond a casual office outing.

The tournament’s inaugural status made the result especially important. With the first Battle of the ERGs now in the books, Veterans at Walser became the benchmark every future entry will chase, and the G.O.A.T. trophy gives that group a visible piece of bragging rights until the next tournament is played. The format also put Walser’s employee resource groups on the same field, giving each one a chance to compete, represent and build momentum in front of coworkers.

That mattered in a company that has already tied veteran support to its identity. In November 2025, Walser said it was recognized as one of Minnesota’s 87-plus Beyond the Yellow Ribbon organizations and the first automotive retailer to earn the designation, a distinction the company linked to veteran career pathways and commitment to those who serve. That backdrop helps explain why the veterans group’s unbeaten run carried more weight than a typical office sports win.

For Walser, the kickball tournament worked as both competition and culture test. Women of Walser, Drive with Pride, Veterans at Walser and the Asian Hmong Alliance all took part, and the veterans team’s clean run gave the company an immediate rivalry to build on the next time the Battle of the ERGs returns.