WASHINGTON (May 30, 2024) - Alexis Joseph enthusiastically embraces her assignment.
The passionate Howard University assistant women's lacrosse coach and former Duke University standout purpose is clear and it has provided her with peace. Joseph is determined to carve a space for Black girls on the lacrosse field. Not only that, but Joseph also wants to help transform the Bison into a winning program, along with head coach Karen Healy-Silcott.
"I want Howard to be dominant in lacrosse," Joseph said. "I don't want us to say we have a program because we're an HBCU. Growing HBCU lacrosse is a goal for me. I want Black girls to come to Howard, where they can be supported, celebrated and excel in lacrosse. Karen does a great job of carrying the torch and showcasing her vision of where she wants the program to be and we are getting there."
Embarking on an audacious goal is just the beginning.
Joseph, with her unique blend of empathy and toughness, is ready and eager for the challenges. Her journey, a testament to resilience, has been marked by her refusal to retreat from obstacles, insults or injuries. This unwavering determination has propelled her towards her goals on and off the field, inspiring all who understand her journey.
When Joseph first stepped onto the lacrosse field, she was often the lone Black girl in a sea of white players. She endured insults, weathered taunts and navigated overly aggressive physical play from opponents, including deliberate kicks to the face during a game she played on a travel team.
Yet rather than breaking her spirit, these challenges only strengthened her determination and fueled her sense of purpose. Her parents, Beth and Arnold, played a crucial role in reinforcing her uniqueness, refusing to let her conform by changing her hair to blend in. Joseph unapologetically stood out with her Afro, braids and puffballs, tall and proud.
Joseph's parents also helped her develop the mental strength necessary to thrive on the lacrosse field. She remembers watching documentaries on the Detroit Piston Bad Boys and Allen Iverson with her father when she was younger. Joseph also shared that her brother, Shawn Joseph, was her best friend and an impactful presence in her life.
As her skills advanced, so did her confidence. She committed to Duke during her sophomore year at William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia where she played for coach Colleen Magarity, who supported Joseph.
Perhaps, most significantly, she discovered the immense power of her voice amidst it all. Her advocacy for diversity and inclusion, both on and off the field, has dramatically impacted society.
"My parents would always tell me that the reason people are saying mean things to me is that they are mad that I am this good and don't think I should have the space," Joseph said. "They always advocated for me to have opportunities. When you are the only one, it is hard to have a strong voice. I always spoke up and shared what was on my mind. My parents told me I didn't have to apologize for having a voice that mattered."
Joseph, who graduated from Duke in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in visual arts, was a defender for the Blue Devils. At Duke, she also spearheaded a free lacrosse clinic for Black and Brown girls in Durham. Joseph was the president of UBA (United Black Athletes) in her junior and senior years where she led diversity training with administration and staff.
Joseph's resilience was on display at Duke. She played through tendonitis as a sophomore, bad hip pain as a junior and suffered a concussion as a senior. The constant injuries, along with the social upheaval in the wake of the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake, took a toll on Joseph, who earned the Top 6 ACC Service Award and the Samuel DuBois Cook Undergraduate Student Award for service and leadership.
"Duke was a hard time for me with injuries as well as socially and racially," Joseph said. "I struggled a lot mentally there. Howard became a space that healed me. It is easier to be passionate because I am happy, loved and supported here at Howard. The other side to that is there aren't a lot of Black girls playing lacrosse."
Demographic data from the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association shows that only three percent of women lacrosse players in Division I are Black. By removing historically Black colleges and universities, such as Howard from the count, that percentage drops to two percent. Only two percent of head lacrosse coaches in Division I are Black women.
Howard has nowhere to go but up, following a season in which it did not win a game. However, the small victories during the different games were the most important, which brought practice concepts and coaching feedback to life.
"Karen and I often talk of seeing this program grow," Joseph said. "Our season didn't go how we wanted and we're not happy with the scores of those games. It is not O.K. we lost like that. Yet, it was so easy to get excited when the girls executed something we worked on during practice. I cannot wait until we cannot shock anybody anymore. Seeing the growth makes me happy. Hearing girls talk about Howard lacrosse and knowing that Black parents are excited we have a team is a step forward."
Before Howard, the Philadelphia native coached with HHH Girls Philly, Eyekonz Philly, and Ultimate Girls NC at various age groups.
Joseph, who wants to create a space for Black girls, received the 2023 Tina Sloan Green Award. The IWLCA's Board of Directors made the Tina Sloan Green Award in April 2021 based on a recommendation from the association's Racial Equity Task Force. The annual award recognizes teams or individuals working to promote equity and inclusion. Joseph was honored last November. She has also left an impression on Jazmine Smith, the founder and CEO of Eyekonz Philly, where she coached.
"She's a game-changer," Smith said. "I am so proud of her because she embodies Tina's legacy. Alexis is a true champion for young Black women and she has a compassion for growing the game. The importance of what she is doing is necessary."
Joseph's contributions have led to numerous opportunities for lacrosse to thrive throughout the community. These include organizing youth groups to attend both home and away Bison games, offering tutoring and mentoring through the Serve Your City/Mutual Aid organization and holding a position as a staff member for the Montgomery County Recreation Lacrosse program. In this role, she conducts free lacrosse development sessions tailored for underserved populations.
"Growing the game is more than handing a black girl a lacrosse stick," Joseph said. "It is a white-dominated space and white people have been holding the narrative and it's not their narrative to hold. Another major issue is bringing Black girls into the space who may not have the structure to sustain what you are asking for. You are busing kids out, taking them from their families and then saying we tried, but she could not show up or know how to do this without seeing their barriers and understanding their life. That's a major flaw with growing the game."
Yet, she knows more is needed. Support goes beyond introducing the game. It involves investing in each girl who wants to play the sport. Joseph is about making meaningful deposits into the lives of those she interacts with. Visibility is important because Black girls cannot be what they cannot see.
Through empowering, educating and motivating Black girls, Joseph continues to do her part as a trailblazer to help them shatter glass ceilings. She has curated authentic relationships with members of the Bison lacrosse program, but more importantly, she is adding value because she is walking in her purpose.
Howard has been the perfect place for Joseph to bring her mission to life. Joseph is learning to balance her passion with patience. The wins on the scoreboard will come in the future, but the Bison are still building and establishing a positive foundation of excellence.
"Karen has done such a great job walking through conversations with me," Joseph said. "She's been mentoring me through the coaching process and has helped me create healthy boundaries, which is super important. Karen welcomed me into her program as a coach, which was a big deal. It gave me perspective and purpose. It's always been bigger than lacrosse for me."
Rob Knox is an award-winning professional. A member of the Lincoln (Pa.) Hall of Fame, Knox enjoyed a distinguished career as an athletics communicator for Lincoln, Kutztown, Coppin State, Towson, and UNC Greensboro. He also worked at ESPN and for the Delaware County Daily Times. Recently, Knox was honored by the NCAA with its Champion of Diversity award. Knox is a graduate of Lincoln University and a past president of the College Sports Information Directors Association of America (CoSIDA).
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.
