Heritage Association Spotlight: Thaddesia Southall, Women’s Basketball
August 30, 2018 | Women's Basketball, Trojan Athletic Fund, Features
Thaddesia was the first person in her family to graduate from a four year college, but she wasn't the first competitive athlete in her family. "My mom went to Long Beach Poly as well and played basketball there and continued her career at Pepperdine. My dad also played sports in high school. My younger brother played basketball at Cal State Long Beach and I have a younger sister in high school who also plays basketball. Hopefully she will start getting recruited soon!"
Thaddesia says that her love of sports was a result of her parents keeping her and her siblings involved in athletic activities when they were young. Funny enough, she didn't start out as a basketball player, but as a cheerleader. "I'm not sure why my mom put me in cheerleading, but I think when she realized how clumsy I was when she got me involved with track. Track really helped me develop a lot of coordination that translated into basketball."
Thaddesia says she was very appreciative of the weekends filled with club team practices, tournaments and exercising because it kept her busy and away from distractions. "I come from a community where there is a lot of gang violence and several other distractions. My mom and dad encouraged us to use sports and academics to become successful and stay focused."
It's safe to say that Thaddesia gained most of her values from her parents, especially the value of hard work and being respectful. "My mom always said that you will be successful just by working hard, being nice to people and being helpful. People then want to help you in return and encourage you."
While at Long Beach Poly, Thaddesia was on the women's basketball team that won four state titles and three CIF titles. They were often recognized by the community and the city of Long Beach even threw them a parade. "We were so popular on campus!" She was also named all-league first team two years in a row, was awarded with her team's best overall player award and was a McDonald's All-American candidate. But, Thaddesia says it was a big shift coming to USC. "There was such a big difference coming to college because now you're coming in with a bunch of other girls who are also really good. You're not the only good person on your team anymore."
Because she started being recruited her freshman year in high school, Thaddesia began thinking about colleges early on. "Before high school, I only thought about going to the WNBA. The idea of going to play college basketball soon became exciting." USC piqued her interest early on for its academics. But, she was getting recruited by a lot of top women's basketball schools including all of the PAC 12 schools, Duke and UCONN. Then, she got recruited by head women's basketball coach Mark Trakh. That visit, along with the history of USC women's basketball, solidified her decision to become a Trojan. And when she got to USC, she knew she would be a Trojan for life. "Everyone on the team was a new face, but they treated me like family. I still stay in contact with a lot of my teammates."
Although Thaddesia's playing career was plagued but injuries, she was a standout academically (she was regularly recognized for her work in the classroom by Student-Athlete Academic Services) and says that her overall experience was amazing. So amazing in fact, that she now works at USC as a graduate advisor and even advises several student-athletes. "The best part of my job is helping students graduate and to discover things they didn't know about themselves. Helping them to discover different skill sets that they weren't aware of is so rewarding."
When she's not supporting students as part of her job, Thaddesia makes time to give back to the student-athlete population by attending networking dinners where she spends time discussing career possibilities. She especially enjoys spending time with the female student-athletes.
"I try my best to give my support to the current student-athletes whether it's helping them find jobs or giving them tips on how to find jobs." When asked what it means to embody the spirit of a Trojan, Thaddesia's response is "to fight on forever and to never give up. I think when you have that mindset, you are able to accomplish so many great things. I think that's something I did. I didn't let injuries stop me from being successful. I'll always carry that lesson and that spirit with me."
