In the midst of the Boys and Girls Basketball Game on Friday Jan. 24, the crowd and players took halftime to celebrate an achievement unlike any other at Robinson. An achievement that has its roots in the past, only being recognized now, former girls’ basketball player and record-setter Harriet Brumfield made an appearance at her jersey retirement celebration.
Brumfield only played for Robinson from 1979 to 1981, her junior and senior years. Nonetheless, she had a completely ecstatic run. She averaged almost 25 points per game and scored 1000 points in only two years. Beginning her college career in 1981 at Vanderbilt, she played a role in kickstarting the college’s girls basketball program. Girls Basketball Coach Gerard Batista comments on the facets of Brumfield’s achievements.
“[Brumfield] was not only an all-American, but she was also recognized by five different publications for being all-American, which is more than pretty much any other guy who had had their jersey retired here,” Batista said.
Brumfield finished at Vanderbilt as the all-time leading scorer and rebounder of her time. She is also still honored as the woman who kickstarted their D1 program. After Vanderbilt recognized Brumfield’s impact by retiring her college jersey, it only made sense for Robinson to do the same. Alongside previous girls coach Scott Burkett, Coach Batista set the jersey retirement to fall on both basketball team’s Senior Nights.
They reached out to Brumfield to attend, as she still had her roots in Florida. She’s made an impact on the state-level community, as an educator at Memorial Middle School in Tampa.
“It’s great that she’s maintained a connection to the Tampa Bay community, and we honored her last Friday night, and recognized her for all those accomplishments and achievements she had made,” Batista said.
Brumfield made it to the celebration, which allowed for the boys’ and girls’ basketball players to meet her.
“The senior night went really good. It was fun and we took a picture with Harriet when she got her jersey retired…we went upstairs and talked to her for a while,” girls basketball player Cheyenne Crump (’28) said. “She gave us advice about basketball, and how it relates to real world things. I would say it was pretty inspiring to see someone from our school, who played on our team [and] did all those things, and [seeing] where she is now.”
It would be an understatement to say that Brumfield’s ’31 jersey was deserving of retirement. Especially now, on such a significant game for many of the players, Brumfield’s appearance, and original impact on the school, will have ripples in their basketball careers and even lives.
“At halftime, it was really a sense of pride for the team,” Batista said. “I think it gave [the players] more appreciation for where they are at this time. I think that’s what they got out of this, like man this is really amazing, like I’m on the same floor as she was. I’m in the presence of this legend, and I got to meet her, and I’m going to try to do the same kinds of things that she had.”
