USA Today FREMONT, Calif. — Beneath the foggy mirror in a makeshift locker room no bigger than a storage closet sit 11 women, their wide eyes affixed to an overdressed basketball coach who is delivering a pregame speech that is equal parts inspiration and four-letter words.
The scene plays out at colleges across the country each night, but on this rainy evening inside a dimly lit Bay Area junior college gymnasium, it serves as prelude to a debut unlike any other in the sport’s history.
When the focus of the 12-minute pep talk pivots to this topic, the eyes of 10 18- to 20-year-old women – including one deaf player and another woman a few inches shy of 5-feet – focus on the one Mission College player who has yet to play this season. There near the door sits the oldest (50 years old), tallest (6-feet-6, 230 pounds) and most muscular person in the room: Gabrielle Ludwig.
Ludwig is 50 and last played a college basketball game in 1980 – as a man. They don’t know the odyssey: one failed suicide attempt, two failed marriages; one 19-year-old daughter who insists on calling her dad, two girls who insist on calling her Momma Gabbi.
Written by Eric Prisbell, Read full article here on USA TODAY Sports
Sara says
This is total ignorance. I am sorry. No.
Michael Duncan says
This is just plain STUPID and should never be allowed!
Hoonu says
Signs of the Apocalypse.
Paul Plante says
Surreal is now the new normal here in Murka!
Slide Easy says
So many people screaming for help. Instead of getting help and fixing themselves, they are given what their sick minds desire, aided by democrats.
MikeE says
It’s all stunning and brave until Princess Godzilla accidentally tramples a teammate. At least with one deaf player and one “a few inches shy of five feet” there’ll be a decent pool betting on which girl gets trampled.