 When
teenager Jasmine Colbert enters the Tigers Den next Fall,
she, unlike other Freshmen, will be returning home. She was
practically born to be a Quinnite.
Hearing the basketball bounce off the purple and gold hard
floor is not an unfamiliar sound for Colbert. It has been
only over a decade since she has heard the sounds of Tiger
pride—an element that helped Colbert make Paul Quinn College
her choice for superior education. And, the fact that both
her parents played here while she was a little girl made
some impact also.
Her parents, both honored as NAIA conference MVPs during
their senior year, are remembered for their accomplishments
in the sport, which can still be seen hanging from the
gymnasium ceiling. Gregory “Jazzy” Hartwell and Kim Colbert
met at Paul Quinn College, and played until 1991. They wore
the same jersey number, 32. Even after her passing a few
years ago, Kim’s jersey was never worn again. That will
change next semester when the basketball season kicks off.
Holding her mother’s jersey between her fingers, Colbert
said, “This is for my Mom and Dad. I just wanted to play
ball at the same college that they did. My Mom really
inspired me.”
She admitted that she never expected to honor her parents in
such a way, but believes that there would be “no better
feeling” than to wear her parents’ college jersey number.
When the 5’10” power forward enrolls this Fall as a Physical
Education major, Colbert will be joined by Lady Bears, whom
she convinced to also enroll at Paul Quinn College. This
came after several junior colleges vied for her ticket into
their programs.
“While I’m used to playing with them (her current
teammates), I look forward to getting use to playing with
the existing Paul Quinn players,” she said, adding, “It’s
going to be good stepping up my game to a new level.”
Describing her style of play, Colbert wants to maintain
aggressiveness on the court, while “having fun” with the
sport she loves.
Her Dad, on the other hand, wants his daughter to have a
greater appreciation for black culture through her
experience at a historically black college.
Mr. Hartwell said, “I really want her to feel that black
culture of college. That is a feeling that you would never,
ever experience in your life unless you enter a black
school.”
Colbert will be a great addition to the Lady Tigers squad,
said Athletic Director Keith McKinnon, as fans expect the
team to make another play-off appearance next season. The
team advanced to the play-offs this season for the first
time in four years. However, the measure of a college
experience is not just when the number 32 is on the court,
but when it is off as well, according to Colbert’s father.
“Things haven’t changed much since I was in college, and I
want her to experience some of that. Roman Noodles still
taste the same,” he joked.
Nothing much has changed since 1991: the Tigers Den still
holds the achievements of its players high, on game day,
fans still cheer on their favorite team and Jasmine Colbert
is still a Quinnite. After all, she was practically born to
be one.
This
article was written by Khashan Poitier, senior and Mass
Communications major.
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