Jasmine Plummer

Jasmine Plummer (born c. 1993) is an American who was the first-ever female quarterback for a Pop Warner football team. At the age of 11 years old, she made history as the first female quarterback in the 56th Annual Pop Warner Super Bowl (Junior Pee Wee division); however, her team, the Harvey Colts, lost in the semifinals. The 2008 film The Longshots is adapted from her experience, with her being portrayed by Keke Palmer.[1]

Football

In spring 2001, 8 year old Jasmine started playing tackle football with others in her neighborhood. Her mother, Cassandra Johnson, learned of this when Jasmine severely injured her knee while playing, requiring 23 stitches. A few weeks later, Jasmine returned to playing football in the neighborhood park.[2]

Her uncle, Fred Johnson, noticed Jasmine's ability to throw a football with a tight spiral and quite a bit of velocity. After difficult negotiations with her mother, Fred enrolled Jasmine into the Pop Warner program.

After spending her first year on the bench, Jasmine was taken by her uncle to the Mighty Mite division (7-to-9-year-olds) Harvey Colts, the team he was coaching, and made her the starting quarterback. Upon her arrival, her teammates did not welcome her but they quickly change their minds when they started winning games. As the team continued to win under the leadership of Jasmine, coach Johnson decided to play her as a linebacker because she was fast and strong for her age and size (she was 4-foot-9 and 90 pounds at the time).[3] The Colts finished the regular season with a perfect record before losing in the regionals. The next year, Jasmine moved to the Harvey Colts of the Junior Pee Wee division.

Now coached by Jim Stovall, Jasmine and the Harvey Colts won 8 of 9 games of the regular season and won their regional playoffs to earn a trip to the Pop Warner Super Bowl in December 2003.

Despite losing the final 13-2 against the Southeast Apaches (Texas), the Colts won their consolation match against Hawaii's Kailua Mustangs with a score of 14-0. Jasmine both threw and ran for a touchdown in the win.

Jasmine left Pop Warner football after five years.

Today

After football, Jasmine played on the women's basketball team of Joliet West High School in the position of point guard.

See also

References
  1. Chaney, Kathy. "The Longshots movie: The real Jasmine Plummer pleased with Palmer's performance". Chicago Defender Online. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  2. Alipour, Sam. "The gridiron girl". ESPN. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  3. Alipour, Sam. "The gridiron girl". ESPN. Retrieved 22 March 2011.


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