My Beginning: From Squash to College to VoiceOver

Posted on 03/29/2025...

After attending a truly extraordinary women athletes, and careers event on Thursday, March 27, 2025, called “Ball to Business,” it brings me back to two themes: Community and Gratitude.

As I write this, I’m coming full circle, reflecting on my journey from playing Squash to eventually becoming a professional voiceover talent.

As a voiceover professional, much of my time is spent in my recording booth, auditioning for everything from commercials to animation, video games, Industrials, explainer videos, and more. The work is far from easy, nothing glamorous in the sense of “glamour”. In fact, much of what I do is about investing in the long-term growth of my business to build a sustainable future, which includes marketing, attending conferences, such as VO Atlanta Conference, and Society of Voice Arts Conference (SOVAS). I embrace networking events as career requirements, and I’m careful about how I spend my time, prioritizing what matters and letting go of the trivial. Luckily, as a creative and communications strategist, plus a Mom, opportunities often find me—and I’m grateful for that.

My athletic career began in middle school at James P. Timilty Middle School, where I was a straight-A student. It was there that Gregg Zaff introduced me to Squash Busters, an incredible organization in Boston (similar to SquashWise in Baltimore) dedicated to empowering underserved youth to reach their full potential as students, athletes, and citizens.

After graduating from Squash Busters many years ago, I saw how impactful it was to contribute to others. I’ll always be grateful to my mother, who, with her permission, said “yes” to allowing me to be a part of an organization that helped shape my mindset. It taught me to be a responsible athlete both on and off the court, and instilled the importance of giving back. At the time, I had no idea how significant this experience would become. All I knew was that I was learning a new sport called squash.

I’m also incredibly grateful to those who invested in my growth, including the supporters who made it possible for me to attend Beaver Country Day School on a full scholarship (worth about $80,000) from grades 9 through 12.

My Mother always encouraged me to finish college—not to focus on perfection, but to finish. I’m proud to say that I listened and graduated with my degree in hand. I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Media Relations, with a minor in Business Management from Goucher College. But none of my journey—especially my Voiceover Inspires Entertainment career—would have been possible without the early lessons I gained about teamwork, and believing in myself. Fortunately, my degree has come in handy, providing a foundation for advancement, grounded in Communications research and theory.

Faith, motivation, bold thinking, and discipline all started early in my life.

Today, for me, athleticism is a way of life—focused on staying healthy and fueled by my passion for immune health. This includes eating gluten-free, dairy-free, and mostly sugar-free meals.

When I learned of an event called “Ball to Business,” I was immediately intrigued. Events like “Ball to Business” didn’t exist when I was younger, and I am still very young. The event introduced women athletes—from high school to college—to potential careers in sports. Thanks to Raymond Brunner of Adriane Austin Contracting Services, and Adam of Bubba Baseball, I had the opportunity to attend.

I was truly impressed by how well-executed it was. I even had the chance to visit Under Armour’s headquarters, which was like a dream come true for any athlete. They gave me a tour of the campus, and I spoke with Human Resources and staff about careers in sports. And, of course, I couldn’t pass up shopping at the Under Armour flagship store with a discount!

Thank you to all of the great people, whom have helped to inspire my career journey.

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Princess Tykarrah, Owner and Creator