After a Year of Reflection… Is It Really Worth It?

Before I get into anything else, I want to say this up front, because it matters to how this whole story is understood. This has always been a passion project for me. Not a business plan. Not a money play. And not something I started - to capitalize on anything. I want to explain exactly why, and I also want to be very honest about what this actually looks like behind the scenes, because I think people deserve to understand that part too. And if I’m being honest, this is also a moment of self-reflection for me, because when you put this much time, energy, and heart into something, you do start asking yourself questions. Did I do the right thing? Was this worth the risk? Is all of this really worth it? Especially when you’re not chasing money, and you’re not chasing fame — you’re doing it because you believe in it. But first, I want to start with this: wins and losses, I’ve never strayed from USC women’s basketball. This didn’t start because of one season, one player, or one viral moment. This program has been in my heart long before I ever picked up a phone to record a video.

But when my son left home and went into the military, my life shifted in a big way. For a long time, so much of my energy went into being a mom — making sure he was good, supported, protected, encouraged. And when that day-to-day role changes, you don’t just lose time… you lose routine, purpose, and honestly, a piece of your identity. So I had a choice. I could just keep going to work, going to the gym, and spending time with family and friends — especially my cousins here in L.A., because I’m a South Central girl at heart and that community is always going to be part of who I am — and just call that enough. And don’t get me wrong, family and friends matter. They always will. But I also wanted something that felt meaningful in a different way, something that kept my mind engaged, gave me joy, and felt like I was contributing to something bigger than just filling time. That’s when I leaned all the way into women’s basketball, and especially USC, because these young women deserve coverage. They deserve attention. They deserve analysis, storytelling, celebration, and respect — the same way men’s programs get every single day. And honestly, they weren’t getting that consistently. So I decided that if I’m going to put my time and energy into something, I want it to be something that actually shines a light on people who deserve it.

And to be honest, this didn’t even start as some big plan. It started as a little TikTok thing. I was just breaking down simple plays, nothing fancy, just talking hoops for fun. I wasn’t great at it. I wasn’t polished. It was just something I enjoyed doing in my spare time. And it probably would have stayed right there if it wasn’t for someone I met at a USC event — at the awards ceremony during JuJu’s freshman year. We got to talking about basketball, about content, and about whether I should maybe jump into the podcast world, and he told me he really loved what I was doing and encouraged me to do more, not for me, but because these young women needed the coverage. He told me, basically, keep going… this matters. And I want to be very clear here: I’m intentionally not naming him, and I’m doing that for confidentiality reasons. I also don’t want anyone confusing this moment with anyone else in my journey, because this encouragement came from a completely separate conversation. But what I can say is that that conversation honestly changed everything for me, and I’m forever grateful for the encouragement I continue to get from him — almost on a daily basis — to keep going and to keep doing what I’m doing, even when things get hard or I start doubting myself. Because it made me stop and think, okay… maybe I really could do something with this, maybe I should try to take this further.

But at the same time, I was scared to death. I was scared of failing. I was scared people wouldn’t relate to me. And if I’m being honest, part of that fear came from the fact that I’m not in my 20s or 30s anymore, and this age of social media is tailored to the young bucks of the world. So I really questioned whether people would even want to hear what I had to say, or if I would just get lost in all the noise. And even now, a year later, I still have moments where I stop and ask myself, did I do the right thing, is all of this really worth it? But then I think about why I started in the first place, and that always brings me back to the same answer. It actually took me a while to even start the YouTube channel because I kept talking myself out of it, but once I finally did, things moved faster than I ever expected.

I made some connections early, and one of the biggest was Matt Zemeck, who works with Trojans Wire as part of the USA Today College Sports Network. Matt really helped me when it came to podcasting and getting our weekly show off the ground. He brought me onto his podcast, he believed in what I was doing, and if it wasn’t for Matt, we honestly wouldn’t be doing our weekly reviews and recaps the way we do now. And what’s great about working with Matt is that we’re kind of like ying and yang. We balance each other out, the conversations flow, and his dry humor always keeps things fun, even when we’re breaking down tough losses or messy games. That chemistry matters, because it makes the conversations better and the coverage stronger, and that’s something I don’t take lightly. Because opportunities don’t just happen — people have to believe in you enough to give you a seat at the table, and Matt did that for me, and I’ll always be grateful for that support and that belief. And I also want to say this about Matt on a personal level, because it matters to me. Matt is genuinely one of the kindest human beings I’ve ever met. He is so full of light and encouragement, not just when we’re podcasting, but in regular conversations too. He uplifts, and he truly wants to make sure that I’m okay, both as a creator and as a person. Somewhere along the way, he stopped being just someone I worked with and became a real friend, and that kind of support, especially when you’re stepping into something new and putting yourself out there, means more than people realize. So when I say I’m grateful for Matt, I don’t just mean professionally, I mean personally too. And honestly, it just reminds me that there are still plenty of good people in this world who truly believe in support, encouragement, love, and kindness, people who don’t move off competition, control, or ego, but off wanting to see others grow and be okay. And I really believe that kind of energy — that kind of humanity — is what the world needs more of, and what people deserve more of, especially in times when everything feels loud, divided, and transactional, those moments of genuine care and encouragement mean everything. So when I say I got lucky early and had people who encouraged me, I really mean that. None of this happened in isolation.

Now yes, it just so happened that JuJu’s freshman year at USC lined up with the same year my son left for the military. From the outside, that probably looks like perfect timing. But that wasn’t the motivation. The timing was coincidental, not calculated. My decision to lean into this had everything to do with my own life changing, not with one player committing to USC. I had already been following the program. What changed wasn’t the roster — what changed was my reality as a mom whose child had just left home. And if I’m being completely honest, I knew of JuJu before she got to USC, but I wasn’t deep into high school basketball like that. I wasn’t tracking recruiting rankings, I wasn’t following AAU circuits, and I wasn’t watching high school mixtapes. It wasn’t until I saw her play in that first game in Vegas against Ohio State that I personally understood how special she was, not because people were talking, not because of headlines, but because I watched her compete at the college level and thought, okay… this kid is different.

And I think this is important to say too: I’ve always been a basketball junkie. I’ve always looked at numbers. I’ve always paid attention to tendencies, matchups, and why certain things work and others don’t. When advanced stat sites first started becoming popular, I was like a kid in a candy store. Then I got introduced to full-on college basketball analytics, and that took it to another level for me. Because I don’t just watch the game like a fan, I watch the game like a chess match. I played. I coached. And even when I’m sitting in the stands, my brain is still breaking down actions, coverages, and adjustments. Honestly, having a son who played basketball is what really taught me how to watch differently. Once I stopped coaching and started sitting in the stands during his high school games, that’s when I truly became a watcher of the game, not just cheering, but studying. That’s how I’ve always loved basketball, through understanding it.

And I also think it’s important to acknowledge the world that we live in right now. We live in a social media era where there’s a lot of gaslighting, a lot of trend-chasing, and a lot of people trying to jump on whatever is growing or getting attention. When something gets hot, people jump on the train. When something starts trending, people chase the clicks. When engagement goes up, people see dollar signs. And yes, especially with JuJu and USC getting more national attention, I see a lot of young creators popping up, chasing engagement, chasing viral moments, and trying to build off whatever is getting the most hype that week. That’s just the reality of social media. So I understand why people can be skeptical sometimes. I get why, from the outside, people might wonder if this is just another person jumping on a wave. But that’s never been my angle. I didn’t build this around trends. I didn’t build this around chasing clicks. And I didn’t build this around trying to benefit from hype. I built this because I genuinely care about this program, these players, and women’s basketball, and I wanted to contribute something positive, consistent, and real. There’s a difference between showing up when something is hot and showing up because you’re invested, and I’ve always been about the second one.

I’ll also say this, because it matters to my perspective. I’m not in this space just chasing what’s cool on social media. I’m an older woman who’s lived some life, raised a child, and understands how hard the world can be, especially for young people right now. So when I support these athletes, it’s not coming from a place of hype. It’s coming from a place of care, respect, and wanting to see young women succeed in a world that doesn’t always make that easy. Because the truth is, today’s world isn’t exactly set up for young people to thrive without pressure, without noise, and without expectations coming from every direction. And if I can contribute something positive — encouragement, visibility, respect, real conversation about the game — then that matters to me. That’s not trend-chasing. That’s community. That’s showing up because you want to see the next generation win, not because you want something from them.

And when it comes to the YouTube side of this, I also want to put things into real perspective. This channel has grown in one year to over 16,000 subscribers and more than 750,000 total views, and for a niche community focused on USC women’s basketball, that actually says a lot about the support and engagement around this program. But what people don’t always understand is that views and subscribers don’t automatically equal money. On YouTube, unless you’re a celebrity-driven channel or you’re consistently getting pushed by the algorithm, most videos across the platform average only a few hundred views, sometimes even less, because there are millions of creators all fighting for attention. And believe me, I’ve done the research. The average view count for videos on an average YouTube channel is a few hundred, not the thousands that the algorithm is pushing on a daily basis. There are millions and millions of YouTube channels. So even when a channel is growing and people are watching, the ad revenue can still be very small. That’s why, even with those views, I’ve only made about $1,100 total since monetization, not per month, total. And I’m saying that because I really want people to understand, again, that this isn’t about the money. I put a lot of time, energy, and heart into this, and if this were about profit, I would’ve stopped a long time ago. So if anyone thinks I’m trying to jump on a bandwagon or capitalize on a team that’s getting national attention, I’m putting the numbers out there so you can see for yourself. And that’s also why I still have a full-time job… laughs. This is something I do because I care, not because it pays.

And more importantly, this has never been about making money off of a program or off of young women. This has always been about supporting the team, highlighting the athletes, and contributing something positive to a space that deserves more consistent attention and respect. So when I say this started as a passion project, I really mean that, because the motivation has always been about purpose, not profit. And I know some people might say, well, why not just go get a sponsor? But the reality is, it’s not that easy to get sponsorships for a YouTube channel, especially one that’s still growing and focused on a specific niche. Most major brands don’t look at channels unless they’re consistently pulling very high view counts or have well over 100,000 subscribers, or unless you’re partnering with larger creators who already have that kind of reach. From a business standpoint, it has to make sense for them to invest in promotion, because they’re looking at return on investment just like any other company would. So sponsorships aren’t something that just automatically show up because you have a monetized channel or because people enjoy your content. They usually come when a channel reaches a certain scale or when there’s a strong commercial fit. That’s just how the YouTube and marketing world works.

And another example of that is my website and the photos I post from games. I know there are a lot of photographers who shoot sporting events who either charge for their photos or are shooting for media outlets or magazines, which means they’re getting paid for that work, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. Maybe one day I’ll decide to go that route too, I don’t know. But right now, this is just another example of me showing that I’m not trying to capitalize off what I’m doing at this point in time. I post the photos because I know people want to see what’s happening with this team, and I want fans, families, and the community to have access to those moments. No paywall. No sales pitch. Just sharing what I capture, because I enjoy it and because it means something to people who love this program.

And I do want to take a moment to say thank you to Coach Lindsay Gottlieb, because that support meant more to me than she probably realizes. Very early on, when this platform was still new and still finding its footing, she took time to come on the podcast with me and Matt. This was during the transfer portal period, when things are busy and hectic for every program, and she absolutely did not have to do that. But she did. And that told me a lot about the kind of leader she is and how much she truly believes in supporting women’s basketball and the people who are trying to uplift it in positive ways. That kind of encouragement, especially early on, gives you confidence to keep going when you’re still figuring things out, and I’ll always be grateful for that.

And I think that’s the part I really want people to hear. There are still good people in this world who just want to give back in whatever way they can. People who want to feel connected to something bigger than themselves. People who choose to see the good before assuming the bad. We need more of that. We need more people supporting women’s sports because they believe in it, not because it’s trending, not because it’s profitable, but because it matters. That’s what this has always been for me. I wanted to feel connected to something positive during a season of transition in my own life. I wanted to pour energy into something that uplifts young women who work incredibly hard and deserve to be seen, celebrated, and respected. So if this channel has grown, I don’t see that as success for me, I see it as more eyes on the program, more conversations about the players, and more people invested in USC women’s basketball. And that’s a win for everybody.

So when I ask myself, is this really worth it? The answer, every time, is yes. This isn’t about clicks. It isn’t about money. It isn’t about hype. It’s about showing love, telling stories, and choosing to support something good, just because it’s good. And honestly, I think we could all use a little more of that right now. Because in the world we live in today, people are quick to second-guess intentions, quick to assume there’s always some hidden agenda, and quick to think, what’s in it for you, before thinking, maybe this person just cares. And I think that mindset can sometimes make us miss the good in people who are simply trying to contribute, support, and be part of something in a positive way. Not everything is a competition. Not everyone is trying to take something. And not every act of support comes with strings attached. Some people really are just here because they love the game, they love the players, and they want to see women’s sports continue to grow. And that’s where I’m coming from. That’s where I’ve always been coming from… and I need to keep my mind busy, lol🤣🤣🤣