This Martin Luther King Jr. day, the Fisk University Bulldogs will compete against five other teams led by Black women coaches. A year ago, the team was formed at an HBCU. Valencia Jordan, the university’s athletic director, told Nashville 5 that the gymnastics team’s trajectory has helped inspire institutions to think bigger.
“I think that one event could have the potential to have a ripple effect that a lot of other institutions that may have thought about it, now they’ll think about it a little more,” Jordan said.
Corrinne Tarver says she invited the other five coaches to participate — they did not hesitate. As a result, Jordan believes others who wish to participate in the sport can follow the example of the Fisk gymnasts.
“Every single one of them immediately said, ‘I’m in,'” said Tarver. “So it is going to be historic… we’re going to embrace and celebrate what we have and show how we need more.”
The team will compete against Brown University, Iowa State University, Rutgers University, Talladega College and William & Mary University. As of this summer, Talladega College is the second HBCU to launch a gymnastics team.
“To know that they are a part of the group that was some of the first, I think it’s something that they’ll hold in their hearts forever,” Tarver said.
The event will be at Vanderbilt University’s Memorial Gym. For tickets to the historic meet, visit FiskAthletics.com.
