In addition to being one of the world’s premier attractions that fuses together basketball and entertainment, the Harlem Globetrotters have also advanced gender diversity in its own way.
How have they done this? By bringing women’s players into the fold, of course.
Among the team’s female tandem is Crissa “Ace” Jackson, who grew up in Pennsylvania. In a story for the USA Today Network, she mentioned how one of her current male teammates who is from the same area as she is, was the plug that let her know when the Globetrotters were having tryouts.
At first, I was like, OK, that’s funny. What are you really calling me for?
–Crissa “Ace” Jackson, Harlem Globetrotter
We don’t look at it as, ‘OK, let’s have a woman on the team.’ We look at it as we’re all ballplayers.
We just happen to be women that play on the team. We’re all capable of doing the same thing as the guys and entertain and perform at an equivalent skill level. We just happen to be women.
–Crissa “Ace” Jackson, Harlem Globetrotter
While, according to the piece, Jackson may not have had dreams of being a WNBA player, she did want to play professional. Being one of the Globetrotters, she says, not only brings together her passion for basketball and her love of travel, but how she and the other women can be a positive influence on young girls.
I have that platform to be able to inspire. Not even just girls, but boys and people in general, just inspiring them that anything is possible. I’ve dreamed of playing basketball since I was seven years old. This is what I’ve dreamed of doing. I dreamed of playing professional basketball. It’s just proof that hard work and determination can lead to those dreams coming true.
–Crissa “Ace” Jackson, Harlem Globetrotter
The interview was done prior to the Globetrotters next appearance in early February at the Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, New York.
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
