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Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2022
Jackie Court was a true pioneer. The first female of color to coach at Brown took over the club gymnastics program in 1969 and spent 32 years at the helm before retiring after the 2000-01 season. During her tenure, gymnastics became a varsity program in 1974.
Court guided the gymnastics program during the Cohen v. Brown University Title IX case following Brown’s 1991 decision to cut the program. This class-action lawsuit reached the Supreme Court. After more than five years of appeals, the Supreme Court’s ruling mandated increased equality between men’s and women’s sports in college athletics nationwide. During this period, Court continued to coach while being a pivotal witness in the legal proceedings.
Brown Gymnastics saw steady, upwards success throughout Jackie Court’s tenure, as she earned ECAC Coach of the Year honors twice (1997, 1999). In 1999, she was named the NCAA Northeast Region Coach of the Year after leading the Bears to a conference title, a tournament Brown hosted.
Jackie Court inspired her gymnasts to attain insurmountable goals through her calm, positive presence. Former coach Sara Carver-Milne described Jackie in the following manner; “what stood out about Jackie was her ability to testify at a Supreme Court case, then leave to coach the team as if it were a normal day. She stayed calm and collected throughout and did whatever she could to ensure her team continued to compete and have an opportunity at Brown. She taught them grit, determination, class and poise.”
In addition to her role at Brown, Court served as the State Chairperson of USA Gymnastics and as the District Chairperson for the National High School Federation for nearly 20 years. She also served on advisory boards for the Women’s Sports Foundation and New England Women’s Fund. In 1994, she earned a Special Service Award from the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches, and in 1996 she gained induction into the Northeast Women’s Hall of Fame.
Brittany Harris, who became the fourth NCAA African-American gymnastics coach in 2022 for Brown, said “having the opportunity to build on the foundation Jackie Court built is the greatest honor.”
Jackie Court passed away in 2020, but learned about her election into the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame prior to her passing. She was 81. Court is survived by her sons Kenneth and John.
