It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

By Saint Thomas

Today, I’m comfortable enough with myself to not be okay. There was a time, not too long ago, when I would look in the mirror and be just disgusted with the person looking back at me. But now, I’m okay. 

I go to practice, I go to school, knowing that there are going to be struggles. There are going to be good days, and bad days. But none of those things are going to break me.

I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and basketball was my everything. Scoring points, winning games, earning accolades. All-State, All-American. I was getting recruited. But it wasn’t all as perfect as it may have seemed from the outside.

Basketball was my everything, but it had become too much. Basketball was driving me to a place where if I had a bad game, it would put a strain on my relationships and it would linger. It was at this point that I didn’t like the man in the mirror looking back at me.

I knew I had to take a break. I stepped away from basketball, stepped away from the team, stepped away from school and went home. No one agreed with my decision. But I had to make these decisions in order to keep myself alive.

And the crazy thing is, as I worked through this and was okay stepping away from the game, it brought me back to basketball even stronger. Now, my why has changed. God brought me to basketball and gave me these abilities for a reason. My platform is basketball, but my purpose is not. My purpose is so much more than that: To use my voice. To share my story.

With Early National Signing Day officially in the books, take a moment to meet the incoming class of 2025. Highlighted by five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem “Thanos” Stewart and quarterback Husan Longstreet, the class of 21 signees will look to make an impact as soon as they step on campus. Click HERE for the full list of commits.

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Through a House of Victory NIL engagement, USC Men's Basketball student-athletes hosted a basketball clinic at the Galen Center for 20 young players from the Challengers Boys & Girls Club. The event provided local students with basketball development and showed these young athletes the potential of their dreams as they worked alongside the Trojans.

“Having the opportunity to be trained by collegiate athletes is incredibly inspiring for our young members,” said Karen Quiroz, the Challengers Clubhouse Director of Athletics and Health. “It broadens their perspectives and shows them that attending college for the same goals is an achievable aspiration. The entire men’s basketball team was fantastic in making our students feel welcomed and providing excellent coaching.”

The clinic featured drills and games that taught fundamental basketball skills while giving the children a memorable experience with collegiate athletes who served as role models.

THE BEST IN ACCOUNTING, TAX SERVICES AND MORE

The USC Women's Volleyball team opened its 40th NCAA Tournament berth with a dominating 3-0 win over UT Arlington in the first round. The No. 6-seed Women of Troy will face No. 3-seed Texas in a second round match today. With a stellar 22-9 record this season, the team looks to continue this season’s success in the program's third consecutive tournament appearance.

You can directly support the women’s volleyball team as they continue their NCAA Tournament run by contributing to House of Victory’s Arrival of the Trojan campaign. Your contribution directly supports our student-athletes, providing them with resources to excel both on and off the court and helps our programs recruit and retain the best of the best to maintain championship-caliber teams.

USC Football student-athletes recently spent time at the LA Food Bank through NIL engagements with House of Victory. During a handful of visits, football student-athletes rolled up their sleeves and sorted more than 25,000 pounds of fresh produce that will go directly to local families in need.

If you’d like to support the charitable work of USC student-athletes in the community, you can make a tax-deductible donation to House of Victory Foundation.

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