Former Westchester High Grad Gives Back to South LA Community

Picking up a basketball for most is just another recreational sport. 

To Oscar Bellfield, a kid born and raised in the inner-city of Los Angeles, the game served as a vehicle that helped mold his and the lives of others for the better.

Since the age of nine, Oscar Bellfield, a graduate of Westchester High School in South LA, has used the sport of basketball as a motivational tool and vehicle to help accomplish not only his dreams, but those of others.

One day, Bellfield, who is now in his 30’s and founded his own AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) team, received a call from one of his players asking him about some training advice. Shortly afterwards, the same player texted him with more questions. 

“It got me thinking about what if the kids that are actively engaged in sports had the opportunity to connect with the current players that are ranked or playing in college, and gain insights into their routines,” Bellfield shared. "The way young athletes train and prepare today might be slightly different from when I was training. Sometimes, neither I nor their parents can offer all the solutions. Having direct access to those or just hearing the response from those who are living their dreams in the sports world becomes incredibly valuable.”

That’s when he came up with the idea for “PRO-Q”, an application that aims to bridge the gap between fans and athletes by giving fans access (a voice) to learn from the athletes.

PROQ currently has two NCAA Division I women’s basketball players, a USC Trojan and a Pepperdine Wave, along with a five-star high school recruit from New York City. The company is in talks to bring more collegiate athletes, WNBA, and NBA players. 

“Being an athlete and understanding the value of connections, building relationships, and interacting with the fans means so much to not only the fan, but also to you as a person or a brand,” Bellfield said. 

Go join PROQ, a community built by athletes for athletes and fans. The app is available on iOS devices in the App Store or on the Google Play Store! 

Competing in the AAU Circuit as he grew up, Bellfield was a highly-touted recruit from Westchester High School in South LA. After graduating, he received a full-ride scholarship to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to play point guard for the men’s basketball team in 2008. 

A decade after graduating college, Bellfield is still trying to give back. 

Playing for the Running Rebels over the next four seasons, Bellfield graduated in 2012 and briefly joined the New York Knicks G-League (formerly the D-League) affiliate for the preseason and training camp. Ultimately, Bellfield went on to play overseas in Venezuela, Iceland, Bulgaria, and eventually at his final stop, Ukraine, after winning the championship in 2018.

“At that point, I decided to put the ball down and hang up the jersey and figure out what is next in my life,” Bellfield said.

Returning to his alma mater, Westchester High School, Bellfield joined the Junior Varsity and Varsity boy’s basketball coaching staffs in 2019. In his first season with the varsity squad Bellfield and the Comets defeated Fairfax 68-43 and were crowned the CIF LA City Section Open Division 2020 Boys Basketball champions.

Then a couple weeks later the Covid-19 Pandemic struck bringing sports and life to an immediate halt. Bellfield, once again, found himself looking for another opportunity in the sport of basketball.

Reflecting back on his own childhood and the opportunities or lack thereof, Bellfield decided to pursue his new passion, coaching, and founded his own AAU team, the LA Rebels.

“I started my own AAU team because a lot of kids in the inner city didn’t have that many opportunities,” Bellfield said. “Initially, I took some kids from the inner city, mixed them with some kids from the valley, and put a team together.”

Playing in AAU tournaments all over the West Coast, Bellfield and the LA Rebels recently returned to Vegas to serve food at a local food pantry for the UNLV community that helped mold Bellfield during his collegiate years. 

“To be able to graduate form UNLV, come back, give back, and then also bring kids who never had or thought about the experience is something special,” Bellfield said.

Thanks to the game of basketball, whether Bellfield is on the court, on the sidelines coaching or connecting athletes on a computer, he will always find a way to give back to his community.

Learn more about ProQ, LA Rebels and Oscar Bellfield:

Email: team@proqapp.com

Instagram: @proqapp

Instagram: @coachobellfield 

Website: www.proqapp.com

Website: www.larebelsbasketball.com