On Tuesday evening, June 9th, Mystics Club 52 members joined Coach Thibault and new Mystics players Natasha Cloud, Kayla Thornton, Armintie Herrington, and Ally Malott for an exciting and fun-filled “Meet the Team” event. Full of enthusiasm after the team’s impressive 2-0 start to the season, fans, decked in red Mystics t-shirts, packed the Budweiser Brew House at Verizon Center eagerly awaiting their opportunity to meet the newest Mystics face-to-face.
From playful questions about player nicknames to more serious ones dealing with advice and the transition for the rookies to the WNBA, the event featured lots of laughter, cheering, and chanting as the die-hard fans seized the opportunity to ask the newcomer Mystics a variety of different questions in a very open setting. The lighthearted players and Coach Thibault took the questions in stride, poking fun at each other along the way, in what amounted to be a truly rare and insightful glimpse into the personalities and personal lives of these hard working professional athletes.
Some highlights of the affair included when a brave, little girl stood up in front of the entire crowd and asked each of the players who pushed them and motivated them to be in the WNBA. After an emphatic “Awww” from the audience and players alike, each player took turns answering the question, with parents, coaches, and self-motivation being among the overarching responses. After the players answered, the young girl went up and shook each player’s hand one by one, shyly accepting a fist bump from Armintie Herrington but with a giant grin plastered across her face.
Another entertaining moment, one that drew a roar of laughs from the crowd, was Natasha Cloud’s response to a question about her most interesting or unusual experience so far living here in Washington. She responded by telling a story of how, using the D.C. metro for the first time in their lives, or even really public transportation for that matter, Ally Malott and she, trying to get to the mall at Pentagon City only 4 stops away, “Went the wrong way on the metro [and] a trip that should’ve taken 10 minutes took about 2 hours. It was a long ride, so I fell asleep, Ally woke me up when we got [there].” The crowd erupted in what was almost certainly a sympathy laugh, as a mistake such as that is one all newcomers go through on the way to be initiated as true Washingtonians.
More than anything, however, this event was truly all about the fans. These red-and-blue bleeding fans have been through years of cellar dwelling and rebuilding, so an event like this, one that brought them up close and personal to the new and optimistic batch of Mystics players, was special.
Long-time season ticket holder Niecie Draper, of Upper Marlboro, and friend Jackie Brooks were among those in attendance at Tuesday’s event. Draper noted how this event, “Means a lot because it connects us with the team and with the players. And by there being so much turnover…it’s really good, very important.” She added on how Mystics basketball is more than just a team and a game to her, Brooks, and their group of friends. “We all hang out together. It’s really become a part of our culture, a part of our lives. I love watching them play. They’re a great team, it’s a great franchise, so we’re glad to support it.”
Clearly, this “Meet the Team” event was an overwhelming success for all those involved. With the Mystics off to their best start in years, hopefully some of the same fan enthusiasm from Tuesday carries over and helps the team the rest of the way as they look to assert themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the competitive Eastern Conference.