When you look back at the history of Florida Basketball, you instantly think of great names like: Mitch Richmond, Eddie Jones, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Amare Stoudemire. All of the players have made big contributions in helping to put boy’s basketball on the map for the state of Florida. While the state has enjoyed more media attention in the sport, most common observers overlook the progress the women basketball players has made to the state.

Over the past five years, girl’s basketball has transformed from a sport that no one cared about to one of the top sports in the state. The days of going to basketball gyms with no one there but the players are long gone. Nowadays, the girl’s basketball teams are getting just as much support as boy’s basketball teams and in some cases more.

One would ask why the sudden change? It’s not like they just started playing girls basketball 10 or 20 years ago.

Robert Moramarco, director of the Don Kelso State-Farm/Closetmaid tournament says, there are three major reasons why the sport has taken off. “First of all, girl’s basketball is receiving more exposure for the sport on a national circuit. Newspapers are now covering women’s basketball more than ever. Before the Olympics in 1998, women basketball was all but an afterthought on the last page in the sports section. Now women basketball is front news material with recognizable stars across the nation.”

Moramarco continued saying “the second major reason was the launching of the WNBA. For years if a woman wanted to play basketball, they had to go overseas, now with the WNBA; you have little girls growing up following particular players hoping one day they can be like them.”

He closed by saying “the third and most important reason is television exposure. With major networks like ESPN and Fox Sports showcasing women’s basketball on a daily basis, many of our kids feel that they can play and get recognize just like the men. Moramarco says, “We are a society that mimics what we see. Take hockey, There isn’t anyone talking about they want to be a hockey player right now and the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup last year!”

While the popularity of girl’s basketball has grown throughout the nation, Florida was still not recognized as being a premier state for girl’s basketball. The talent was in the state, but to get any attention on a national level, you must have the name recognition of a dominate team or dominate players. Something the state was lacking.

During the late 90’s a change of thinking started to evolve about girl’s basketball in the state. For the first time since women’s basketball started to get notice, Florida had a dominate team. From 1999-2003 the Jacksonville Ribault Lady Trojans won an impressive 101 games in a row. During that streak, the Lady Trojans traveled across the nation taking on all teams and beating them with ease yet the Trojans still did not get the national attention they deserve.

“I honestly believe that some of our better teams were in the beginning years when we first started our streak.” Coach Al Austin said. “It took me having to develop a relationship with some of the writers just for the national media to seriously consider us as one of the top teams in the nation. Once I got them to notice us we did the rest.”

The Lady Trojans won 118-119 games from 1999-2003 and won five consecutive state titles. In 2002 the Lady Trojans finished the season ranked number two in the nation which is the highest ranking a Florida basketball program boys or girls has ever received.

Last year, the state had a record three players to make the McDonald’s All American Team (Erika White, Sylvia Fowles, and Erlana Larkins). The team was coached by Jacksonville Ribault’s Al Austin.

Florida Girls Basketball has come a long way. The state has proven itself as one of the better states for talent. While previous players like Tracy Reid, Tombi Bell, and Tonya Washington, did not get the national press they deserve, they all belong to a sorority of women basketball players in the state of Florida. That sorority lives on everyday when top Florida teams and players continue to do what they do best. Play Basketball!