Photo Credit: FAMU Athletics
Just two weeks after FAMU star bowler, Shamoria Johnson, was dismissed from the team, her former teammate stepped up to dismiss Johnson’s claims.
According to HBCUBUZZ, Eva Holmes, one of the remaining teammates, released a statement on her Instagram that while some events have been told, that is not the full story.
Holmes stated that some of the members of the team already made up their minds not to respect the new head coach, Coach Capri Howard, who graduated from Jackson State in 2021.
She also stated Howard was “called names and disrespected prior to the dismissal” of Johnson and her teammate’s decisions to leave in unity.
“On several different occasions there were very disrespectful emails sent from player to coach with all of us cc’d as an audience to bear witness. From the very beginning, minds were made up that no one was going to respect the coach. Yes, we have a young head coach but so do various other sports across the country. It is not impossible for a program to function with such new leadership (look at UNC Women’s Field Hockey),” Holmes wrote.
As Holmes expressed her stance on the issue, another remaining teammate had a different perspective on the situation.
Spring Harris, a fourth-year veterinary technology major, has been competing with the bowling team for 3 years now, she shares how since the absence of her former teammate things haven’t been the same.
“I think that for a long time, I was in denial, and I really thought that somehow someway this wasn’t real and that we would still come back and we would all be a team again and it would be fine,” Harris said.
When asked about her thoughts towards Holmes’s claims, Harris went on to say that Holmes’s claims weren’t factual, and in the two instances with Johnson requesting practice time off and her dismissal, Holmes was not present for what occurred.
“A lot of the practices she wasn’t there for, she couldn’t see how we were treated, what was done, what was said,” Harris said.
Harris adds that being a student-athlete is difficult in terms of finding a balance and staying sane. But she encourages strength, perseverance, and having a support system by your side to help you through it all.
Jada Bostic, an accounting major with a minor in music who also serves as one of the Captains for the Women’s Wrestling team, shares how she’s been able to balance her practices and academics.
“I was decent with managing before I realized I wanted to put more time into my studies. I have been very adamant about every ounce of time I can use in a day whether it be to knock out homework, take a nap, or mentally prepare for practice,” Bostic said.
“I’ve been way better at managing my time more my second year than my first, and for me that has been great.”
Bostic continues by saying her love for the support is what keeps her going and her ability to challenge herself and push others around her as well.
According to BeyondWomensSports, only 9% of female athletes are Black, and within the 18% of female athletes who are professional bowlers, only 9% are Black, as stated by Zippia.