Q: When you first started coaching, did you envision this becoming your full-time path — especially leading a girls program? What changed or confirmed that for you?

A: "No—my first official coaching job was a part-time role as an assistant middle school basketball coach, something I honestly would have done for free. At the time, I had no idea that working in grassroots basketball could turn into a viable career path. For several years, I hustled—piecing together income from a range of freelance coaching jobs. I kind of just put my head down and embraced abnormal hours and low pay because I genuinely loved the work. I feel incredibly fortunate that that commitment eventually opened the door to a full-time opportunity."

Q: Why is coaching girls basketball meaningful to you? What makes this work matter?

A: "Basketball is my biggest passion. I just want to share the game and give others the opportunity to fall in love with it the way I have. In that sense, coaching girls’ basketball is especially meaningful to me, because the game is often less accessible to girls at the grassroots level. Being part of girls’ basketball feels like filling a real gap—and helping create opportunities that should already exist."

Q: Can you share a moment with your team that reminded you why pouring into girls through basketball is bigger than the game?

A: "There are moments in every practice when you can see an athlete ignite—when their face lights up and their whole body hums with energy because they’re engaging with the game in a way that is deeply felt and authentic. Those moments are bigger than basketball. Basketball is simply an environment in which young people can develop agency, learn to collaborate, solve problems, and come alive. The world needs people who have come alive. And too often, that spark is squashed—especially in young women. We should be celebrating it instead."

Q: As an alumni coach stepping into a full-time role, how did the program prepare you for this next chapter — and what kind of legacy do you hope to build with your players?

A: "Coach Across America gave me the confidence to see coaching as a viable path. It surrounded me with people who were in the same phase of life, doing the same work, and navigating many of the same challenges. Being part of that community was affirming and motivating. It was a powerful reminder of the strength of community—something I hope our players feel every day in our program."

Q: If each girl you coach leaves your program believing one thing about herself because of basketball, what do you hope that is?

A: "We want the athletes in our program to learn how to build their own ground—to lay something solid beneath their feet even when everything around them feels uncertain. Both on and off the court, they navigate chaos and pressure, coming of age in a world where safe space is increasingly scarce. We aim to give them the tools to create their own space: a place where they can solve problems, collaborate with others, and trust in their own capabilities. Over time, that ground becomes something they carry with them—something that remains steady even as the environment around them shifts."