Anthony Lipkins (left) and Andre Wilson (right) film a halftime show for a Shootinthestraightsports (STSS) during the halftime of the Liberty Ranch at Sutter football playoff game on Thursday, November 9, 2023.

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - Two local residents have brought a new type of media and hype to the Yuba-Sutter area, and expanded it into an empire across California and Nevada.

Andre Wilson, 38, of Yuba City and Anthony Lipkins, 36, of Olivehurst told the Dispatch that during the COVID-19 pandemic, they didn’t see any new media visual architects in the area giving the local youth athletes the shine and recognition they deserved.

“When we were that age, we didn’t have anyone out here to take it upon themselves to put tape together of kids out here even though there was so much talent to choose from,” Wilson said.

Wilson and Lipkins started Shootinthestraightsports (STSS) in April 2021 where the new type of media included video equipment where they filmed games and put it all out in the tape.

“We’re shooting it for what it is and letting all the talent show on the film and the field,” Wilson said.

Lipkins added that they are out there for the kids and giving them the love. “We want to make sure the kids who deserve to play at the next level get their opportunity,” Lipkins said.

STSS started out as a podcast in April 2021, and as Lipkins and Wilson were both coaches at Lindhurst High School. Now they expanded from the podcast to a YouTube channel featuring the games they go to, and have expanded it with a halftime show as well.

“We were able to help them out at our time there so we thought of how we could tap in and help more kids,” Lipkins said.

Wilson and Lipkins expressed to the Dispatch that Sutter Head Football Coach Ryan Reynolds gave them the first start locally in the area. 

Lipkins and Wilson told the Dispatch originally the goal was to cover Sutter as one of the “big time” programs they would eventually do, but they treat the Huskies program as their second home for giving them the start and the opportunity to break into the empire.

STSS expressed to the Dispatch that the biggest game they have covered was a game between national power football programs of Mater Dei of Santa Ana (CA) at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas (NV).

On top of doing football games, STSS has expanded to basketball, and they plan to attempt other sports as well in the future. 

“At the end of the day we are Shootinthestraightsports — it’s about the kids at the end of the day,” Wilson said.

As many people see them on the field or hardwood shooting with their cameras, the behind the scenes includes long hours of video editing, pictures and videos.

“The biggest thing is we’re perfectionists — it has to look a certain way,” Lipkins said.

STSS hopes to continue growing in 2024 as they continue to tell the kids and everyone watching their story of the local athletes who deserve to get love, and as their famous phrase echoes in your mind, remember, “We out here,” Wilson and Lipkins said.

STSS social platforms include YouTube: @ShootinTheStraightSportsSTSS, Facebook: Shootinthestraightsports Stss, Instagram: stssfilms, X (formerly Twitter) @STSSFilms.