Meet Stacie Wheeler from True Blue LA

We have dozens of women covering pro and college sports for our team brands here at SB Nation. Meet one of those talented writers, Stacie Wheeler, who writes for our Dodgers blog, True Blue LA.

I was born into Blue and come from a long familial line of Dodgers fans going back to my grandfather, who rooted for the Brooklyn Dodgers in Boston. My brother and I grew up watching Dodgers games together, and we took score by hand in our personal ‘scorebooks’ while watching games — the ones that were televised — on our console TV in the 1980s and ‘90s. My uncle, who was at Sandy Koufax’s perfect game, took us to countless games at Dodger Stadium as kids.

One memory I will never forget is when we were waiting at the players’ parking lot for autographs after the game. There was a high fence you had to reach over to hand the players what you wanted autographed. My uncle accidentally dropped a pen in Raul Mondesi’s eye. It took him a moment to recover, but he still signed for us. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love baseball and the Dodgers.

Although it’s only been a few months since I joined TBLA, I have enjoyed working with the crew and interacting with the members of the SB Nation community I have met.

The biggest challenge I’ve faced is dealing with anxiety. As a mother of two, I’ve found it difficult to juggle being a mom, writing, plus my day job. It can get overwhelming at times. Staying true to myself and my voice has helped me to overcome any negativity I’ve received and the self-doubt that every writer faces at some point. Finding a balance and inspiration is difficult at times. Baseball has always been an outlet for me, even when the Dodgers are losing, and it’s completely intertwined in who I am.

I’ve formed friendships with many of the True Blue LA team members over the years while covering the Dodgers and Quakes, including Eric Stephen, Craig Minami, Dustin Nosler, David Young and Ryan Walton. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with them and the positive reception I’ve received.

There are many women whom I look up to in the industry, including Alanna Rizzo and Jamie Maggio on the reporting side. Jessica Mendoza is from the same town as me, and her success as a commentator for ESPN is significant for women in broadcasting. I had the opportunity to interview Molly Knight after ‘The Best Team Money Can Buy’ came out. She’s been an influence, not only in her Dodgers writing, but also in her efforts to open up the dialogue about anxiety. Icons like Susan Slusser, Emma Span, and trailblazers Lisa Saxon and Claire Smith have all inspired me as well.