Washington High hoop star bounces to her own beat

By Ron Jenkins (Compton Bulletin/News4usonline)

After bouncing through foster care placements for most of her young life, 10 years to be exact, Kimora Jackson of George Washington Preparatory High School is now bouncing her own ball. Jackson is the starting center for the Generals girls’ basketball team.

After being injured for almost a month with a ankle sprain, Jackson, a junior, has returned to the floor just in time for a playoff run, using the same resilience it took to stay safe while being moved around in foster care.

Jackson helped lead the Generals to a third place finish in the Coliseum League and a trip to the CIF Los Angeles City Section playoffs. George Washington Prep won four games in a row and made it all the way to the title game.

Unfortunately, for Jackson and her teammates, they fell short of winning the city championship, falling to Vaughn, 6937. Nevertheless, Jackson and the Generals had a great this season. Jackson is not surprised by her success on the court.

That credit goes to a Higher Being much greater than her, Jackson said. Jackson relies on her faith to guide her. She believes she has found favor to be great, saying that God has always shown her in dreams that good things would come her way.

There is a lot more to Jackson than picking up the basketball and making it sing through the hoop. Her spiritual walk is connected to the many private conversations she has with God. Those talks are not meant to be shared out in the open.

“I said they were private,” Jackson remarked.

Jackson said her goal in life is to show other kids in foster care or any other tough situation that it doesn’t matter what situation you’re in. There is always a way, she said. To Jackson, there is always light at the end of every tunnel.

She says her foster care situation is not an excuse to give up, not having your parents is not a reason to give up. She wants to use basketball as a vehicle to get a full ride scholarship to a college or university. Eventually, Jackson says she wants to help kids with a background like hers.

Basketball has given Jackson a new focus in life.

Basketball began just two years ago. People told her you’re tall; you should play. She took the advice and found the excitement and competitive edge she was looking for. She says basketball has given her a focus and has helped her tremendously with depression.

She says she enjoys the fundamentals of the game as well, practicing makes her feel good.

She says she is determined to do the necessary work it takes to succeed.

Jackson has minimal contact with her biological mother because she feels it’s not a good situation for both during this time. Her father passed away while she was young. She says her best friend is her guardian/mother Monica Gadson.

She says through trial and error she and Gadson have a great relationship. It’s a relationship in which communication solidifies understanding. Jackson says that parents sometimes just want to be strict, “but kids need to be heard.” Jackson says her mother supports her, loves her, and listens to her feelings.