More Than a Game: Promise’s Journey from Player to Mentor
May 7, 2025
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Promise was just a kid when the world made her feel like she didn’t belong. Then she found a team that showed her otherwise.
After facing racial bullying at school, Promise’s confidence crumbled, and she no longer felt safe. Her family made the difficult decision to homeschool her, hoping to rebuild what had been broken. Not long after that, Promise found PeacePlayers Los Angeles—a community that would change her life. “Basketball was my only way of expressing those emotions,” she remembers, but at PeacePlayers, she found something even more powerful: a sense of belonging. “I was able to just express myself. I was able to find myself, to regain that confidence.” Surrounded by female coaches and teammates who shared her love for the game, Promise discovered a space where she could grow not just as an athlete, but as a leader as well. “Representation matters,” she says. ” It was amazing to finally be in a space where I wasn’t the only girl who loved basketball.”
Today, Promise has come full circle—continuing to be a part of PeacePlayers, not just as a participant, but as a coach, too. “I want to have a positive impact,” she says. “I try to do what [PeacePlayers coaches] did for me.” She knows what it feels like to struggle with confidence, and now, she dedicates herself to lifting others up. “When I was in middle school, I felt alone. There were just things I didn’t particularly like about myself,” she shares. “So now, I try to be that person for the kids I coach—the one who listens, who encourages them, who reminds them that they matter.” The transformation hasn’t just shaped her coaching—it’s influenced her future. Now, she plans to major in Sports Psychology and Kinesiology so she can continue supporting young athletes beyond the basketball court. “Having someone to talk to, someone who believes in you, makes all the difference,” she says. And for the kids she coaches, Promise is that someone—a leader, a role model, and proof that with the right support, they too can rise above their struggles and thrive.
