Jennifer Bell a 1988 multi-talented Kashmere graduate began her athletic career at I. M. Terrell Middle School where she finished 2nd in the city in the 400m dash. At Kashmere she lettered in Volleyball, Basketball, and Track. Jennifer learned how to play basketball at Trinity Garden Park directly across the street from Kashmere and was a top 4 basketball recruit from Houston in 1988. Jennifer was blessed to tutor under the direction of Mrs Ozell Harris, Danny Thomas, and Oscar Ogilvie during her time at Kashmere. She was recruited by USC, BYU, and various schools including Jr. College, NAIA, and NCAA schools. She was equally highly recruited for track and field. Jennifer was #1 in Texas in the long jump and #5 in Texas for the 200m dash in 1987. Her jumps were 18’2 and 18”11 at the same track meet which cemented her state ranking. Jennifer achieved this feat at Kashmere despite not having a long jump pit to practice there. At that same meet, she recorded a 25.4 establishing her ranking in the 200m dash as well.
She then moved on to Connor’s State College in Oklahoma to play with the #1 ranked Women’s Basketball Team under legendary Coach Monte Madewell. There Jennifer helped the team to the National Championship both years. Her sophomore year the team competed against Sheryl Swoopes led South Plains Jr. College and finished 2nd Place. At Connor’s, Ms. Bell made the Dean’s list, was the 2nd Runner Up Homecoming Queen, and earned her degree in Business Administration. The next phase of her college playing days led her to Florida International University. There she played for Hall of Fame Coach Cindy Russo and Hall of Fame Player Inge Nissen who both played for Old Dominion. Additionally, she helped FIU gain a bid for the WNIT. At FIU Jennifer played with international teammates Andrea Nagy of Hungary and Albania Branzova of Bulgaria. There she also earned a B. S. in Hospitality Management which was ranked #2 in the country behind Cornell University. Jennifer had to commute between 2 campuses for her degree which caused her to take fewer hours than her teammates. Therefore, Coach Russo delivered on the promise that she made to Jennifer’s mother that she would graduate and pay for her 5th year. Although basketball was paying for her education, Jennifer was allowed to compete in track and field once again but this time Indoor and outdoor! There again Jennifer competed in the 200m dash, long jump, and the 800m relay. After graduating from FIU, Jennifer got a call from an agent to play overseas. She jumped at the opportunity and played in Germany, Israel, and in the European Cup in Romania, Spain, and France. Jennifer even participated as the only female in the Larry Johnson Grand MaMa dunk contest at the Hoop It Up in Miami and placed 2nd! While in Miami, legendary Coach Frank Seals and team sponsor Mike Walker invited her to play with the Houston Flights Pro Am Team. On this team, legendary point guard Kim Perot was paired with Jennifer as a small forward. The Houston Flight Women won several consecutive national Pro Am Tournaments and were protested against as a result. Once again down the road, Jennifer ended up playing in the Hoop It Up World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas with Cynthia Cooper as a teammate competing against Theresa Witherspoon.
Once the American Basketball League arrived, Jennifer was invited to the National Combine. Colorado Xplosion had discussed drafting her as the 12th pick in the 2nd round but decided differently 1 hour before the draft. While touring colleges with the Houston Flights, Jennifer got a call to come to Colorado for the final spot on the team. Jennifer played 2 professional games there before the league folded. Jennifer was then invited to WNBA invitation-only camps with the Houston Comets, Miami Sol, Los Angeles Sparks, and Minnesota Lynx. After not signing a contract, Jennifer committed herself to her career at Continental Airlines because they maintained her active status and seniority while playing overseas. The United Airlines/Continental merger allowed for movement into Dot Com Support Supervisor, Res Anywhere Tech Assist, Relief Team Supervisor and Operations Analyst. She is OSHA Safety trained and a Safety Committee member. She is an early retiree from United Airlines. Jennifer is a licensed Health and Life Insurance agent scoring 91% on the test whereas statistically 77% failed on the first try in Texas. Jennifer is a licensed realtor who currently works in advertising sales. Jennifer’s Motto: Always push forward! Continuously learn and believe in yourself