From Athlete to Author: Sports, Storytelling & Leadership to Transform Lives
Welcome to this inspiring episode of Rise Urban Nation hosted by Taryell Simmons. In this dynamic conversation, we welcome former professional basketball player, acclaimed author, and speaker Angela Lewis. Together, they dive into the transformative power of sports, youth mentorship, and how athletic principles foster lifelong personal leadership.
Angela recalled how an unexpected invitation to join a competitive basketball team at age twelve transformed her life trajectory.
Witnessing an elementary student find joy simply by touching a player's autograph pencil at Marquette University highlighted sports as a tool for impact.
Angela highlighted Viola Davis's powerful wisdom: "Your gift is not what you do. It's what happens to people when you do what you do."
Angela outlined the V6 Framework, demonstrating how individuals can navigate out of life valleys through vision, values, and small victories.
Angela announced updated releases for her books and a Dallas charity basketball camp supporting Phase One Academy in Jamaica.
Athlete Identity Integration: Why former athletes should build upon their sports discipline and teamwork skills rather than discarding them in entrepreneurship.
The V6 Framework: A step-by-step roadmap moving from Valley to Voice, Vision, Values, Volunteer, and Victory to overcome adversity.
Youth Literature Impact: Designing children's and young adult books paired with hands-on workshops to teach character and resilience.
Evidence-Based Confidence: Cultivating genuine self-assurance through deliberate practice, skill tracking, and separating performance from personal self-worth.
Global Sports Philanthropy: Leveraging the international basketball community to provide gear, shoes, and resources to youth recovering from disaster in Jamaica.
Stack new professional capabilities such as public speaking, marketing, and business management on top of your existing athletic foundation.
Focus energy on executing and expanding proven strategies that already generate positive results.
Affirm young people for their intrinsic character rather than tying their value solely to competitive outcomes.
Tackle challenges systematically by auditing the voices you heed and establishing clear daily habits.
Angela Lewis is a former professional basketball player, global speaker, author, and youth coach who has empowered over 500 athletes across the globe. She is the creator of the V6 framework and author of books including The Game-Changing Assist, Post Moves, and A Ball and a Chance. Connect with Angela, access her books, and book workshops at https://angelarlewis.com.
Taryell Simmons: Hello and welcome back to another episode of Rise Urban Nation, where we unite, uplift, and ignite stories that empower the global Black and Pan-African community. Today's conversation is special because we have Angela Lewis back in the building. When you first met her, she was running ALA Public Relations, but now she is returning to her sports roots. Today's conversation is about something bigger than sports: healing, community, identity, and the stories we tell our children and ourselves. Our guest is a former professional basketball player, award-winning author, global speaker, and youth coach who has helped more than 500 athletes worldwide build leadership, confidence, communication, and resilience. She is the author of The Game-Changing Assist and Post Moves, with an upcoming book titled A Ball and a Chance, each paired with workshops helping young people grow on and off the court. Angela, welcome back to the show.
Angela Lewis: Thank you so much for the warm welcome. I am excited to talk about these updates and reconnect.
Taryell Simmons: Before the books, coaching programs, and global speaking, there was a young Angela with a basketball and a dream. Take us back to the beginning. When did sports become a central part of your life?
Angela Lewis: Sports became a central part of my life when I was in seventh grade. I was six foot one and had been tall since I was twelve years old. Someone saw me coming out of a store and asked if I played. I told them I did, but I was only playing in the backyard with my brothers and was not very competitive. I joined an all-girls competitive team that opened up the world to me. I traveled, saw what excellence looked like by playing alongside talented teammates, and had a coach who believed in me. That foundation led to playing professional basketball and writing books to inspire young people.
Taryell Simmons: What was the moment you realized basketball was shaping your identity and becoming more than just a game?
Angela Lewis: It happened when I was the Director of Basketball Operations for women's basketball at Marquette University. Part of my role was taking the team into the community. We visited twelve Milwaukee public schools for preseason assemblies. After one assembly, a young girl asked player Serena Simmons if she could touch the pencil Serena used to sign autographs. When Serena gave her the pencil, the girl was transformed with excitement. Witnessing that impact from the coaching side showed me that this work is so much bigger than the sport itself.
Taryell Simmons: After playing professionally and working at Marquette, what inspired your transition into youth development, writing, and leadership coaching?
Angela Lewis: Speaking inspired me. I am a speaker first. As a coach, you are constantly speaking, inspiring, and finding creative ways to motivate. While coaching at Southeast Missouri State University, I was asked to speak to students. That speech became the V6 model and the foundation for my first book, The Game-Changing Assist. My focus has always been using words to help young people. My podcast, Athletes as Educators, involved interviewing former female college athletes, and those conversations formed the content for Post Moves. Preparing a panel speech for elementary students inspired my children's book, A Ball and a Chance. Speaking naturally turned into writing.
Taryell Simmons: What challenges did you face navigating competitive sports and transitioning into your current work?
Angela Lewis: One of the biggest challenges is the misconception that you must abandon your athlete identity. A mentee who played Division I volleyball told me someone advised her not to mention her athletic past in her mental performance business. I told her that her athletic background is precisely why she can run that business effectively. Only one percent of players reach Division I, and even fewer play professionally. That requires grit, fight, and heart. When I launched ALA Public Relations, I struggled whenever I tried to do everything alone instead of applying athletic principles like getting a coach and building a team. You do not have to let go of being an athlete; you simply stack new skills like communication, public speaking, sales, and marketing on top of your foundation.
Taryell Simmons: How did you discover the deeper mission behind your work?
Angela Lewis: Viola Davis once said that your gift is not what you do, but what happens to people when you do what you do. When preparing the revised edition of The Game-Changing Assist, I asked middle school girls for anonymous feedback. Reading how the book inspired them and how the V6 model resonated with their vision revealed my deeper mission. It is found in how people respond when you share your gift.
Taryell Simmons: What is the V6 framework?
Angela Lewis: The V6 framework is a model for continuous personal development to move from the valley to victory. The Valley is the challenge you face. Voice represents examining who you are listening to. Vision is crafting a new direction to climb out of the valley. Values are the habits and principles you embody to reach that vision. Volunteer is asking who you can teach and serve. Victory represents the small, incremental wins that build momentum and pull you out of the valley.
Angela Lewis: A Ball and a Chance is an illustrated book for kindergarten through fifth grade, while The Game-Changing Assist is geared toward middle school character development. Each chapter is paired with interactive workshop activities. Books are powerful, but adding an experiential component ensures the lessons resonate and stick with young people.
Taryell Simmons: What lessons stand out most when reflecting on your journey?
Angela Lewis: The greatest lesson I learned, especially through my work in customer success and operations with Speaker Hub, is to do more of what is already working. Instead of constantly chasing new initiatives, I needed to get The Game-Changing Assist into more hands, speak to more athletes, and keep sharing my gifts. If something is working, double down on it.
Taryell Simmons: Shout out to Ron Story Jr. at Speaker Hub.
Angela Lewis: Yes, shout out to Ron Story Jr. He is dynamic.
Taryell Simmons: What is the biggest misconception people have about confidence and leadership?
Angela Lewis: The biggest misconception is thinking you can simply affirm or think your way into confidence. Real confidence comes from tangible evidence of competence gained through practice. A young athlete might lack basketball confidence because she has not practiced her left-hand dribble enough, but that does not mean she lacks confidence as a person. We must help kids understand that missing a shot or having a bad game does not diminish their self-worth.
Angela Lewis: My father passed away recently, and A Ball and a Chance is dedicated to him. In the dedication, I thanked him for treating me the same whether I won or lost. That created safety and emotional stability. Parents and coaches should be honest about athletic performance while reassuring young people that their value as human beings remains unconditional.
Taryell Simmons: What advice do you have for young athletes navigating identity, pressure, and expectations?
Angela Lewis: Give yourself time to develop. You will not be great immediately. Pick one or two specific skills, track your progress, practice consistently, and never hesitate to ask coaches for help.
Taryell Simmons: Tell us about your upcoming announcements and exclusives.
Angela Lewis: In 2026, I am re-releasing updated editions of both The Game-Changing Assist and Post Moves. I am also releasing A Ball and a Chance, an illustrated children's book written with a rhythmic cadence that mimics a bouncing basketball. Additionally, I am organizing a basketball camp in Dallas to raise funds, shoes, and basketball equipment for Phase One Academy in Jamaica, whose courts and dormitories were damaged by a recent hurricane. Basketball connects people globally, and sharing resources transforms lives.
Taryell Simmons: Angela, thank you for your vulnerability and leadership. Where can our listeners follow your journey and find your work?
Angela Lewis: Visit https://angelarlewis.com for books, coaching, and workshops. You can also connect with Angela R Lewis on LinkedIn and follow @TheAngelaRLewis on Instagram.
Taryell Simmons: Make sure to visit https://angelarlewis.com, grab her books, and share this episode. Subscribe, rate the show, and join us next time on Rise Urban Nation as we continue to rise together.
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