The FAMU bowling program has come under a microscope in the past week regarding a recent upheaval in the program following the dismissal of one bowler.
Shamoria Johnson recently did an interview with Roland Martin in which she stated that she was kicked off the FAMU bowling team telling her coach she needed to prepare during final exams. She stated that head coach Capri Howard dismissed her from the team and that several of her teammates who walked away were kicked off the team.
Eva Holmes, one of the bowlers who remains in the program says that while some of the events that have been told – it doesn’t quite give the full picture. Holmes posted a note on her Instagram Story that stated that some members of the FAMU bowling team made their minds up not to respect Howard, who graduated from Jackson State in 2021. She also stated Howard was called names and ‘disrespected’ prior to the dismissal of Jones and voluntary quitting of others after taking over the program in August. FAMU did not have a full-time, salaried coach the previous season.
“However, the reasoning behind it all is not accurate as certain individuals’ roles are being downplayed to portray the victim,” Holmes wrote. “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).”
“Without a chance to even begin shaping the future of our program, our coach was called names & disrespected regardless of her Head Coach status. This clearly reached a breaking point when the final, EXTREMELY disrespectful email was sent. Had any other athlete in any other sport sent their HEAD COACH an email like that, they’d be dismissed from the team as well, and their teammates would understand why. Yes, it was stated that a ‘disrespectful’ reply was sent and in return there was a dismissal. But if that were the entire truth, wouldn’t we want to see the email(s)? There’s a reason that hasn’t been done yet.”
Holmes expressed her frustration at being constantly sent video that – according to her – only tell part of the story and have a real impact on her and others.
“We’re all held to the same basic standard,” Holmes wrote. “Show up to wherever you’re supposed to be at and stay for however long you’re supposed to be there. This is nonnegotiable, given the fact that we all read & signed the same contract. The exact same contract that states, if you ‘voluntarily withdrawal’ (quit) from the team, you’re giving up rights to your scholarship. Every single person agreed and signed this document, so to be sent the same reel over & over again when it’s only telling part of a story that affected me and a few others directly, is beyond frustrating and annoying.”
The junior from Tallahassee, FL finished her note reiterating that what she was seeing was false and dangerous.
“There’s sides to every story and I have no reason to lie. That’s not who I am, nor who I ever will be. I cannot idly sit back and watch lies be spread to hundreds of thousands of people. Words have power and feeding into things like this without even trying to understand the entirety of the situation is terrifying. Be kind to people, think before you speak, and take the time to grow personally,” she wrote. “It’ll change your life I promise.”