A Passion Born In Los Angeles

Long before the Youth Olympics entered the picture, Roberts was a sports-obsessed teenager growing up in Los Angeles. Every Sunday after church, sports became a family tradition: Dodgers baseball, Lakers basketball, football, etc., filled television screens as relatives gathered together. Soon, Roberts became the family's unofficial "sports go-to” member.

"They started asking me all the sports questions," she recalled. "Where did a player get traded? How long had he been on a team? I just loved following everything."

Yet journalism was not always the obvious destination.

Roberts spent much of her youth dancing and singing in the performing arts. The turning point arrived during high school when she joined a field trip to Spectrum SportsNet studios: home to broadcasts covering the Lakers, Dodgers and other Southern California teams.

Walking through that studio was an epiphany. "The more I spoke to the reporters and anchors, the more I realized this was something I wanted to do," she said. The experience inspired her to pursue journalism in college and eventually launch a career covering sports throughout Southern California. Today, Roberts reports on the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, the Los Angeles Clippers and USC athletics while also preparing to begin a master's degree program at the University of Southern California.

Overcoming The Challenges Of A Male-Dominated Industry

Roberts' path has not been without obstacles. As a young Black woman entering sports media, she quickly discovered that she often faced questions her male counterparts never encountered. One experience during college remains memorable. During a class discussion about career aspirations, Roberts announced she wanted to become a sports journalist. An instructor immediately asked whether she had a backup plan. "Do you want to do the fashion side of sports?" the instructor suggested.

Moments later, a male student expressed the same desire to pursue sports journalism and received encouragement along with recommendations for podcasts and networking opportunities. The contrast was impossible to ignore. "I never really had a Plan B," Roberts said. "I wanted sports journalism. That's what I said."

The experience reinforced a lesson she would carry throughout her career: confidence matters.

As she entered professional media rooms filled with veteran reporters and broadcasters, Roberts often found herself among the youngest journalists present. Gaining credibility took persistence. But seeing successful Black women in sports media helped provide a roadmap. Figures such as ESPN host Malika Andrews and other women journalists demonstrated to her what was possible.

"Whenever I see a Black woman on television talking about sports, it reminds me that I can do it too," Roberts said.

The Historic Significance Of Dakar 2026

The Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 represents one of the most important milestones in Olympic history. Since the founding of the modern Olympic Games in 1896, no Olympic event has ever been held on African soil. Not one. That changes next year when Senegal welcomes thousands of athletes, coaches, officials and journalists for the fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games. For Roberts, the significance extends beyond sports.

Roberts believes Dakar 2026 presents an opportunity to challenge outdated stereotypes and introduce global audiences to a richer understanding of Africa. "Africa is beautiful," Roberts said. "This gives the continent a platform on one of the biggest stages in the world." The Games will also spotlight the next generation of African athletes, journalists and leaders.

More Than A Reporting Assignment

Roberts expects Dakar to challenge her professionally and personally. She has already begun researching Senegalese culture, exploring traditional foods on social media and asking friends to teach her basic French phrases. Track and field events particularly intrigue her because of her own experience as a high school runner. Much of Roberts' reporting in Los Angeles has focused on youth sports and the role athletics can play in transforming communities. Dakar offers an opportunity to explore those themes on a global scale.

"I expect to come back a different person," Roberts said.

Looking Toward LA28

For Roberts, Dakar may also represent a steppingstone toward another dream. The Los Angeles native hopes to cover the Olympic Games when they return home for LA28. In fact, she remembers praying for an opportunity to become involved in the Olympic movement. When the IOC acceptance email arrived, it felt like an answer to that prayer.

Her long-term ambitions include sideline reporting, anchoring, and covering major global events ranging from the Olympic Games and Super Bowl to the NBA All-Star Game. Much of her motivation comes from a desire to create opportunities her family never had. "My mom always told me and my sister to be better than her," Roberts said. "Go to school. Get your degree. Do things she wasn't able to do."

For JohVonne Roberts, this opportunity bears witness to a young journalist breaking barriers and expanding horizons, but also to the truth that sometimes the most important opportunities can arise in the briefest of moments.

Sometimes all it takes is a two-second scroll.