If you just moved to the area or are new to local sports, you’re in for a treat! Nestled in the heart of Jamestown is the Jamestown Jackals, our pride and joy that has just joined the Basketball Super League. Known for their fast-paced games, passionate fanbase, and deep-rooted connection to the community, the Jamestown Jackals offer an experience that’s more than just basketball – it’s a celebration of our community spirit.
This guide will take you through everything you need to know about the Jackals, from their history, the players, and tips on attending your first game! Whether you’re a die-hard basketball fan or just looking for a fun way to connect with the community, we’ve got you covered.
Every team has a story, and the Jamestown Jackals are no exception. The current team owner Kayla Crosby is the hard-working wonder woman who created the Jackals and has kept them playing for 10 years.
It is important to note Kayla does NOT believe in Aliens.
As a residence director at Jamestown Community College in 2012-2013, Kayla noticed a never-ending trend of write-ups on students for breaking campus rules. She sat down with one student and asked them “Why do you keep breaking the rules? What’s going on?” and the answer was simple. “I’m bored”. Kayla asked what he and others liked to do, and they wanted to play basketball. Kayla took action.
She worked to keep the courts open later in the evening so the kids could play basketball. One of the students asked about bringing his friends and other players to the gym to play as well. One of those players, Maceo Woofford, would catalyze Kayla to start the Jackals. He told Kayla he was trying out for a semi-professional minor league team in Erie. This led to her researching, and she discovered the Premier Basketball League. The website had a tab with the title “Own a Team”.
Fast forward to March 2015, Kayla has been volunteering with the Erie Hurricanes to support Maceo, who made the team, and also to learn more about what a team looks like in the PBL. She began to think what a team in Jamestown might look like. So, she began writing up presentations and meeting with local leaders, and on August 3rd, 2015 she created #IntegrityFirst, Inc. A non-profit that owns the team, and works to bring positive role models to the community. #IntegrityFirst has a vision of breaking the cycle of crime, substance abuse, and poverty by promoting positive lifestyle changes for all participants through multi-disciplinary programs and partnerships.
The Jackals spent 3 seasons in the semi-professional world before moving up to The Basketball League, their first professional league, where they would spend 6 seasons playing. In 2024, they are starting their first season in the Basketball Super League, a Canadian professional basketball league. They will be traveling some long distances to Sudbury and Newfoundland, so when they come home to play, they’ll need us to welcome them!
Rosters change a lot in these leagues as players get invited to tryouts from all over the country. Guys from Oregon and California will be in New York or Michigan trying to claim their spots on a roster. These gentlemen sacrifice a lot to be in Jamestown, being away from their families and hometowns. So let’s get to know them and support them on and off the court!
Derrick Colter, Lorenzo Collier, and Brent Price are all returning players from last season who played all year, so they will be familiar faces to some in the community! Emmett Duvall came to the Jackals with a month left last year. Now, we have him in town for the whole season. And some returning players that we have not seen in a while are Tafari Beckford Jr. who was here two years ago, and Zakeem Davis who returns to Jamestown after 3 years away!
The fearless leader, Kayla Crosby, who does not believe in Aliens, would hypothetically believe they look more like E.T. and not like humans.
Kayla and the Jackals work extremely hard on the court to be a competitive team, but they work just as hard if not harder, to be a positive influence in the community. They host free youth clinics, usually once per month, with the next one coming up on January 4th. Two hours of basketball training and fun with the Jackals players and coaches.
They work their way out into the community for autograph signings and picture days as often as they can all throughout Jamestown and neighboring communities. They are working to set up speaker and presentation events at the local schools and gym class takeovers! Nothing better than breaking up your day of social studies and algebra by playing basketball with the Jackals!
The team also has its “Be The Change” program, which is a 12-week mentoring program for youth ages 12-18. In this program, the Jackals serve as mentors who prioritize building connections with youth, with an underlying message that encourages positive lifestyle choices.
If you are interested in the Be The Change program or want to request the Jackals’ presence at any of your local events or businesses, please contact Kayla at Kayla@jamestownjackals.com for more information!
Speaking of Kayla, she hypothetically believes that if Aliens did exist, they would be friendly Aliens!
The Jamestown Jackals are already 1-0 after their first home win against the Pontiac Pharaohs. If you missed the first game, don’t worry, there are many more to come! You can expect each home game to be a professional experience with ticket sales, so you can purchase them online or in-person, concession stands, merchandise sales, and a full staff live-streaming the game, operating the scoreboard, a DJ and PA announcer doing music and announcements during all of the timeouts and in between quarters.
There are also in-game activities for the kids to come down to the court and compete in fun games during halftime and in between the quarters. You can also expect different performances like dance groups, music groups, and even karate teams come and put on expedition fights. The Jackals are always looking for new groups and performers to put on a show for the audience, so if you or anyone you know wants to be a part of a Jackals game, please contact Kayla and the team.
And of course, you can expect high-quality, fast-paced basketball. This is the most competitive league the Jackals have ever been a part of. The team is comprised of excellent basketball players and they will need your support all season long to be at the top in this new league!
The team also offers group rates on tickets, so if you do not want to come alone and your local book club or youth group is looking to do something a little different this weekend, contact the team via email or social media to secure your group tickets!
Get your Jackals news every day by following the team on social media on Facebook and Instagram @JamestownJackals and utilizing their website at jamestownjackals.com to learn even more about the team. The website is being updated, so some information may not be up to date yet!
You can find all of the Jackals’ events and their home game schedule on the My CHQ Events Calendar. Just filter on “Organizers” and select Jamestown Jackals, and any upcoming events and home games will come up for you to add to your own calendar.
The Jamestown Jackals next home game is coming up this weekend as they face the Kitchener Titans! This is a great opportunity to get involved with the team right now! I will provide the ticket link below so you can click that as soon as this article ends.
We hope you enjoyed this guide to the Jamestown Jackals and it has encouraged you to support your local professional basketball team! We hope to see you at SUNY JCC this Sunday screaming and shouting for YOUR JAMESTOWN JACKALS!
Also, if Aliens first found Kayla and asked her to take them to the human leader, she would hypothetically take them to the President!