Former Lady Bulldog starts women's professional team in Mississippi
Former Holmes Community College Lady Bulldog and NJCAA All-American Aja Williams has started a professional women's basketball team in Mississippi, the Mississippi Eagles, which is part of the Women's Professional Basketball Association.
The Eagles will hold tryouts on Sunday and Monday, Feb. 16 and 17, at Tougaloo College, 500 County Line Road, Jackson, from 6-9 p.m. Tryouts are open to women ages 21 and up. Sunday's tryout is closed to the public but Monday's will be open. The WPBA has 12 teams throughout the country.
To register for the tryout go to https://www.cognitoforms.com/mississippieagles1/eagles2020tryouts. The price is $45 per day, $80 for both days or $100 for a private tryout.
Williams played for Holmes Head Jamilah Andrews during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons before transferring to California State University at Bakersfield. At Holmes, she was First Team All-State as a freshman and First Team All-State, All-Region and Third Team NJCAA All-American as a sophomore leading Holmes to the MACJC State and Region Tournaments both seasons. At Bakersfield, she was named First Team All-WAC as a senior and was named All-WAC Newcomer Team as a junior. She then played overseas in Spain after her time in Bakersfield.
Williams said her desire to start a team in Mississippi came while she was playing overseas. "It was a short term but it was great as well because it gave me some experience on how it worked," said Williams.
She said she then was connected with the Atlanta Monarchs and got more interested in it. "I had a great connection with the owner and now she owns a league the Women's Professional Basketball Association," she added. "They've made an opportunity to have a team in Mississippi so I wanted to give back to give back to the youth and the girls who were just like me… talented and had nowhere to play."
"Because it's my home," she said on why Mississippi needed a professional women's team. "I grew up here. I played at Provine, was a Dandy Dozen and had a lot of accolades. I played at Holmes Community College, and I had a lot of support. I wanted to be able to give that back because the women and youth deserve it. It's about time for it."
Mary Bolton, who recruited Williams out of high school, coached with Williams' father, Robert, at Hinds Community College and will be the head coach of the Eagles. Bolton also coached at Heidelberg, Perry Central along with college stops at the University of Southern Mississippi, Jackson State University and Millsaps before going to Hinds.
"I've been involved at every level of women's basketball," Bolton said. "I've seen players of all different levels. I'm excited about what this opportunity is going to bring.
"We can't play above the rim like guys, but we can run the floor and knock down some three's and bring some excitement in that fans can enjoy," she said. "I feel like we have players that have an exciting style of game. The key to winning is to have players who have the heart and passion. The game is won off the court before the season starts. The players have to be committed and spend time outside of practice working on shots and defense. This is proven by most successful players. "
"I've been knowing coach for a minute," Williams said, "She's good people. When the team approached me with the opportunity I loved it and had to bring her on."
"I'm just excited about being a part of this team," Bolton said. "She's such a young entrepreneur with a vision. It's something that Mississippi has been needing for years. I take my hat off to Aja. She's a young African American women with a vision to see this. I'm so excited I could flip. This is the hour, the season and time. It's not a better time or better opportunity."
"I'm very excited and nervous at the same time," Williams said. "I'm the youngest team owner in the league so it's kind of a learning experience but at the same time I'm ready for it. I have a great staff around me so we are ready."
For more information, email admin@ms-eagles.com.