The Globetrotter Comes Home: Jackie White '80 Returns to Coach Women's Basketball

Jackie White still relishes the feel of the court under her shoes, the feel of a basketball in her hands, the pure joy of the game. For her, she feels that as a player and coach, she’s come full circle.

This year, she steps in as the Head Coach of the San Joaquin Memorial High School Women’s Basketball team, 40 some years after she herself became part of Memorial’s legacy of fantastic athletes.

“I am elated,” she said. “I feel very honored and blessed to take up this position and it really feels like I’ve come full circle. It’s such a special thing.”

White herself is a Memorial legend. Before graduating in 1980, she dominated Valley basketball courts— winning four straight Valley titles—before moving on to Cal Poly Pomona, where she won a National Championship, and Long Beach State. In 1985, she was tapped for a rare honor: White became only the second ever female Harlem Globetrotter. It was after leaving the Globetrotters, however, that White found a new interest: coaching. White entered the corrections field and ended up coaching young men at the facilities she worked. She went on later to coach at Edison High School from 2018 to 2021.

At Memorial, White’s eyes are on the prize: leading the girls to their first state championship.

However, she also aims to emphasize the importance of personal growth and development to her girls.

“Who these young ladies become as human beings is more important than basketball to me,” she said. “Basketball is just a means to an end. It helps you get to where you want to go in life. It doesn’t take you where you want to go. Education, good character, and work ethic, and a plan with life skills equals success. That’s what I want to teach them.”

Athletic Director Stephen Ferdinandi said Coach White will be a great asset for Memorial.

“Coach White will be an invaluable resource for our girls and the school as a whole,” said Ferdinandi. “Coach Santino Reynolds and Cory Fischer did a great job building the program over the last handful of years, and now it is Coach White's turn to take the baton. Any time alumni come back to be a part of the school is special, but Jackie's athletic pedigree makes her return to SJM even more of a highlight for the current team and the future of SJM Basketball.”