LaTasha Miles
AKA: Joan Madden, The Gridiron Goddess
Listening to the way LaTasha D. Miles talks about sports, you would think she doesn’t leave home without her football. Her love for the game is evident in her background, expressions, and personality.
Born and raised in ACC country, the bubbly dose of brown sugar never had the goal to fit in, but to stand out, growing up surrounded by male cousins and uncles in Burlington, N.C. and developing into a tomboy. Outnumbered by the males, LaTasha had no choice but to join them as they gathered around that one television at “grandma’s house” after church for Sunday dinner and football.
At first, LaTasha disliked the sport, but she found herself eager to learn more about the game, and did just that by pestering others to explain the rules and regulations. She began researching, learning formations, coaching trees, schemes and all things related to the sport. The more she watched football, the more her love for the sport increased.
Football had found a new fan in LaTasha D. Miles.
Her quest for knowledge about the sport afforded her opportunities to write, edit, co-host, host, produce, broadcast as a radio personality and as a sideline reporter. As a sports journalist, LaTasha has landed several front-page articles with interviews from Hall of Fame members including Bobby Bowden, Terry Bradshaw and Dick MacPherson. In addition to interviews with defensive end William Hayes of the Miami Dolphins, ESPN’s own Stephen A. Smith, the only living Negro League Baseball umpire, author Robert “Bob” Motley and BMX phenomenon Brett “Mad Dog” Banasiewicz, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem, N.C. LaTasha earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communications, with a concentration in sports journalism.
A standout in sports writing and sports editing, she earned accolades in both lines of work and covered baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, tennis, and of course, football, in Indiana, North Carolina, Tennessee and Washington D.C. Now having emerged as the self-proclaimed dainty tomboy – and with her heart of gold and big smile in tow – LaTasha is ready to hit the mainstream level in the sports reporting and broadcasting realms.
Featured on local and national radio and television stations more than 30 times, alongside former NFL defensive back Fred Smoot and joined on set with Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon of ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption, the author has also moved into positions of branding that are more creative and flexible.
Affectionately known as “Joan Madden, The Gridiron Goddess”, LaTasha also created SheSPN The Network and WTF Too: Women Talk Football Too, which both display a broader range of her passion, knowledge, personality and charisma while discussing football and other sports, music and returning to her song writing and sports journalism roots.
Who knew that a little girl without any interest in football would become one of its biggest fans, so full of vigor and always prepared for a challenge?
In addition to football, LaTasha is an enthusiast for fashion, interior decorating, traveling, volunteering and is a fanatic of choreography and listening to music, especially Beyoncé. She enjoys bowling and swimming, and absolutely adores full-blooded Boxers and children.
Her love for God, family and friends, and helping others are at the center of what keeps her grounded.