Today we’d like to introduce you to LaTasha Miles.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My family has always loved sports! My grandmother was into baseball. My mom had basketball on lock and still has some school records. But my passion for football started as a very confusing love story. I hated it because I didn’t understand it. My family would watch it on Sundays after church, but I wanted to watch something else. But as I got older, players started to look cute to me in those fitted uniforms and especially when they took off their helmets. That’s when I really wanted to understand the game. I would practice on Madden to understand the X’s and O’s of the game. It helped me learn the different defensive schemes, the route tree, all about the SAM, the MIKE, and the WILL linebackers. I was in too deep. Watching football on Sundays soon became mandatory. It became a ritual and a part of my culture. Then I got more involved by playing fantasy football, engaging in the football pools at work, watching the drafts. There was no end to my love then! Now my cousins ask me for fantasy football advice. I worked my way up to covering high school football for local radio and TV stations. I worked and wrote for newspapers, then I became the sports editor of the campus newspaper at the illustrious Winston-Salem State University. I went on to win four sportswriting awards, cover sports in Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, and North Carolina and reached front-page status on several occasions. I was on it! But my love for sports came to a screeching halt when my grandmother passed. I wanted to get to ESPN for her, so that she could see me under the bright lights. When she passed, I didn’t want to pursue it any longer. I felt like I failed her and I wanted out of the game. Plus, the ways of journalism started changing. It started to become more about opinions and gossip than facts! The who, what, when, where, and why that pioneered journalism was starting to lose its essence. It turned into who could tell the story first! Even without research, without fact-checking, without proper grammar. And there were heavier consequences for libel and slander back then too. I didn’t like the changes, and I didn’t want to do this anymore! But I still loved football. How could I still pursue my dream with the industry changing? So, I started helping women who didn’t understand football, offering tips during the season and made these posts on social media. I was flooded with positive feedback, and I said to myself, maybe I should turn this into a book. I sat on it and didn’t touch it. But one cold, rainy night in November, I remember being sleep, hearing my grandmother’s voice, crystal clear descend from heaven. And she said, “You better get up and write that book!” Confused and afraid, but I still didn’t want her to cut a switch, so there I was in the middle of the night, got started on writing that book. I would jot stuff down on sticky notes, record my thoughts as they came up, and would go back and add it to paper and a computer later until I completed my book. And from there “When Football Season Turns You Into His Side Chick: The Ultimate Survival Guide For Relationships During Football Season” was born. Back to radio and TV I went. This time I was being interviewed about my book, asked about how football teams would do for the season, breaking down the games, etc. I did this in North Carolina, Washington D.C., Georgia, and Florida. It landed me some pretty good connections with tickets too. My book expanded into my brand, “WTF Too: Women Talk Football Too” because I also wanted to look out for the women, who like me, understand and appreciate football! And now I am ready to “tackle” expanding again. My grandmother, the late, great Elsie Mae Miles, AKA: Duke, has been there with me from the beginning, and she is still here with me! I don’t make any moves without her or God!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This has not been a smooth road at all. From my grandmother passing, to the changing of the dynamic in this field, to even being told by people who I loved that I wouldn’t make it, I’m too dark, I don’t have the “look”, etc. It’s been a struggle. It still is, because I’m not all the way where I want to be, but I’m so much closer than I was. The struggle has built character and perseverance. Sure, I wish the road was smoother, but this scenic route hasn’t been the worst.
As you know, we’re big fans of WTF Too: Women Talk Football Too. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
For those who do know me, it’s no secret that I love football. For those who don’t know me, it won’t take long to know that I love football! I mean I even wrote a book about it. I have a brand about it! I wear something associated with my brand every day! Football has no offseason for me! I specialize in predictions. I do a really good job in knowing which games are going to be close, the upset specials, things of that nature. I’m able to dissect some of these things based off stats, schemes, familiarity, and coaching history. I think that’s what sets me apart from some other fans. I see these things from an unbiased scope. Of course, I want my team to win every single game! But I don’t pick and choose with my heart or from being a fan of a team. I take all of that out the equation and use a realistic point of view. I think me taking another lane in this industry sets me apart too. I did something unique with my book and my brand. I want to do some other major things with my book and my brand. But in the meantime, I’ve been selling my book, and “WTF Too” merchandise. My ball caps have done very well in a variety of colors and styles. I also have t-shirts, skull caps, earrings, coffee mugs, and winter apparel. I even do giveaways for my supporters. I’ve given away so many tickets to concerts, games, comedy shows, and other events to those who have supported my brand and book. That definitely sets me apart too. Most businesses try to charge you extra for condiments and here I am giving away tickets, suite seats with free food, and parking to those who purchase something from my brand and purchase my book. I’m not related to anyone in the league, I have no lineage, I had no connections, and I literally started from the ground up with these accomplishments. I wish I had more resources, a winning lottery ticket, some nepotism, something. But because I don’t, I am very proud of the grit and the drive that I still have despite the obstacles and mishaps. And I do all this while working two jobs, being a community activist and with ailments. I still have a long way to go but through it all, I still feel like I am delayed but not denied!
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Some of the biggest risks I have taken is moving! Being alone in other cities and states is a very isolating and often scary situation and experience. I also lost quite a bit of financial resources with some of the chances I took trying to make this happen and I do so much of this alone. But I will take those losses! Also, there have been quite a few people who betrayed me and left me alone in this journey. My trust has been broken and that has forced me to take more risks, even when I didn’t want to and/or couldn’t. But that’s okay too, because I had to learn to bet on me! I’m the only one who is with me 24/7 and I love that for me! It’s everything! So that was something I had to start believing in too and then the pastures became greener when I stepped out on faith and started gambling more on me. That was a very good risk to take and I’m so glad I did that!
Pricing:
- My book “When Football Season Turns You Into His Side Chick” is $16 on Amazon.
- “WTF Too: Women Talk Football Too” Ball caps are $32, $34, and $36.
- “WTF Too” earrings with the matching coaster sets are $23
- I’ll be doing some winter apparel as it gets closer to the holidays.
Contact Info:
- Website: Under Construction
- Instagram: @she_spn
- Facebook: Joan Madden (SheSPN)
- Twitter: @she_spn
- Youtube: SheSPN
Image Credits
Trevis C. Bailey
Ron Huntley
Deana Marshall
