I still remember the first time I got a comment that stopped me in my tracks.
I was in the middle of a tough season, coming off an injury, and my race times weren’t where I wanted them to be. I started getting hate online. It was my first real experience with negativity on that level, and honestly, it got to me.
But then I saw this comment.
A mom wrote that she and her son watched all of my videos together. She said they appreciated the mix of advice, honesty, and personality. Her son was a young runner, and it didn’t matter to them if I was winning races.
What mattered was that I showed up and stayed real.
That reminded me why I started this journey in the first place.
I want to change the sport of track and field.
Hundreds of thousands of athletes compete in it across the country. Millions of people around the world run. And yet, the media coverage and fan engagement in collegiate and professional track is practically nonexistent.
Through my content, I want to change that.
Whether I’m the fastest or not, I want to bring attention and excitement to the sport. I want people to engage with the story, the personality, the journey — and through that, fall in love with track and field.
I’m Trenton Sandler, and I run track at LSU.
But I’m also a creator. And that part of my identity started long before NIL ever entered the picture.
A Natural Born Creator
Growing up in Kansas City, my friends and I were always making something.
Skits on an old camcorder. Movie trailers that never got finished. Random YouTube videos inspired by the creators we looked up to.
But it wasn’t until high school that I really started to take it seriously.
I took a photography class my freshman year, then a videography class that changed everything. That’s when I got my hands on real equipment, started learning editing techniques, and realized how videos could make people feel something—fear, laughter, inspiration.
That’s when it clicked.
I wasn’t just having fun. I was learning the psychology behind great content.
That passion quickly turned into a plan.
By the time I committed to LSU in late 2022 and learned about NIL, I realized this could be more than a hobby.
I launched my TikTok with one goal: build an audience so that when I stepped on campus, I’d be ready to make the most of every opportunity.
After building that platform for about a year, I decided to launch a YouTube channel too.
From the start, I wanted the content to mean something. I wanted it to be real, useful, and motivating.
Even though I was only posting once a month that first year, the response blew me away—I grew to 30,000 subscribers.
Building a Brand
Right now, I’d call myself a running influencer.
Most of my content shows what it’s like to be a collegiate track athlete — my training, nutrition, races, travel, and everything in between. I try to make it lifestyle-based with a bit of personality.
But more than anything, I want to use content to elevate the sport.
There are so many incredible athletes and stories in track and field that often go unseen.
I want to help change that.
Not just by showing fast times, but by showing the people behind the performances.
The grit, the process, the personality.
My Favorite Deal (so far)
Of all the NIL partnerships I’ve done, my favorite has been with Men’s Wearhouse.
Part of the deal was getting a couple of suits, which was a big upgrade for me.
I never really spent money on formal wear before, so having something nice to wear to events or creator conferences is huge.
If I could land a dream deal, it would be with Duolingo.
I love their marketing style, I use their app daily, and I’m currently on an 800-plus-day streak.
I know we could do something fun and creative together.
Advice for Athlete-Creators
If you’re just starting out as a content creator, my biggest piece of advice is: throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks.
When I started, I posted every single day for about three months.
Eventually, I noticed certain types of videos got way more engagement, so I leaned into those and stopped stressing about the rest.
Find what works for you. Find your style.
Then double down on it.
If someone else has a similar idea, that’s fine.
No one can do it quite like you.
That’s your edge.
The Competitive Drive
I’ve always been competitive. I grew up playing soccer before switching to track in high school, and that drive carried over into content, too.
Sometimes I’ll see a cool idea that didn’t quite hit the mark, and I’ll think to myself, "I could do that better."
That kind of mindset often leads to my best videos.
I’m not here just to run fast. I’m here to create.
And most importantly, I’m here to help push the sport of track and field forward.
One story, one video, one connection at a time.
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📷 Trenton Sandler and LSU Athletics
