I am a passionate young journalist who has used a love of sports — and a hunger for good stories — to write and talk about communities, people and events on local and national levels. My dedication has fueled me in leadership positions as a writer for New England Basketball Journal, The Boston Globe, BasketballNews.com and numerous media outlets.
I consider myself lucky because sports journalism helps me find inspiration anywhere and everywhere, every single day.
Athletes from all walks of life can inspire. Many, like NBA player PJ Dozier, are dream-chasers who sacrifice a normal lifestyle to reach the highest level of their craft. They're often trail-blazers, such as Justė Jocytė, who first squared off against WNBA-caliber basketball players at 14 years old. And in some circumstances, like with Keyona Raines and Hijjah Allen-Paisley, or Jaylynn Conway-Hernandez, or Brandon Eang, they have overcome obstacles most of us can't even fathom.
Journalists can find inspiration without even meaning to. When I sat in the gym of the Mashpee Wampanoag Community and Government Center, amongst a devoted crowd of community members cheering on a majority-Native girls' basketball team, I felt blessed. I first reached out to the basketball team simply because they were good; I never expected to uncover a powerful story about young leadership and a thriving Wampanoag culture.
Google the word "inspire" and you get: "to fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative."
The stories I (and we) find make me feel that indescribable appreciation and spirit. I get to use that feeling and, through storytelling, give it to others. That's so cool.
I currently write for New England Basketball Journal, a magazine and website launched in July 2024. It's a new publication that I'm extremely excited to be joining on the ground floor. New England Basketball Journal allows me to keep reporting on my local community while unpacking the complex world of amateur sports.
I previously spent more than four years at The Boston Globe, where I've worked my way to larger roles since I started as a part-time high school messenger in 2019. I've written about the NBA for BasketballNews.com and CelticsBlog. I graduated Boston University in 2021 after having immersed myself covering Patriot League basketball and becoming co-sports director of WTBU, the student radio station.
Since committing myself to sports journalism, I've grown to understand that stories can inspire, and they can spark meaningful conversation and learning. That's why I pursued longform pieces about why girls' basketball players in Massachusetts transfer to NEPSAC schools, and in one of my largest stories, how the wild world of AAU basketball affects kids.
I've used social media and apps like Airr to analyze game film. I've appeared on cable TV, radio and podcasts, and I've carved out a niche as a photographer. The modern sports journalist should recognize that they can reach people through so many varieties of media and style — while still channeling the principles that got us here. I want my voice and my stories to feel different and powerful as the industry continues its transformation.
Take a look at my work! I hope you feel inspired.