Philly to Minnesota, Stephania Ergemlidze uses Basketball to Unite Police & Protesters
June 11, 2020 – From overcoming her own life obstacles to helping cities across the nation with
their own, Stephania Ergemlidze is no stranger to resiliency.
As a child, Stephania was told by her doctors she would not be able to walk. That soon turned
into being able to walk, but not being able to run or play sports. Next thing you know, she is
playing every sport imaginable, including her favorite – basketball.
“My parents did not like that idea,” Ergemlidze said when the doctors explained her potential
physical limitations. “Instead, they put me into every sport possible. I did not really have a
choice. It [basketball] just kind of fell into my life and really stuck.”
Stuck, it turns out, would be an understatement. In July of 2019, she took her love of the game to
a brand new level when she decided she would begin carrying a hoop around major cities such as
Miami, Philadelphia, and New York, as a means to bring strangers together over a mutual
appreciation for the game.
The results and feedback were astonishing as she gained a huge social media following from the
videos she posted from her random pick-up games across the country. However, winter came and
it was time to retire the hoop until spring. Then, the Covid-19 pandemic took over, suspending
her hoop traveling even further.
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed in yet another circumstance of violent police
brutality against a black American. Protests started in Minneapolis, the site of the incident, and
quickly spread all over the country including in Philadelphia, Stephania’s hometown. It was then
she knew the hoop had to come out of retirement for an even bigger purpose.
“My city started falling apart,” she said of the protests and riots. “I just wanted to do something
to create an impact and bring my city back together. The best way I know how to do that is
through basketball.” Thus, the hoop was brought out of retirement as Stephania and her team hit
the streets of Philadelphia, encouraging protesters and police alike to join them in a game of
basketball. Almost instantly, two sides became one over the common love of the game.
“It is a sense of community when you watch or play a sport,” she said. “It transcends all
boundaries. It does not matter your race, ethnicity, gender, walk of life, or age, you can relate
somehow. I think that is why sport does a great job of uniting people.”
Indeed, police and protestors smiling together, having conversation, and enjoying the company
of one another over a game of basketball was a welcome sight in cities where tensions between the
two sides seemed so high conversation was impossible. Stephania and her team finally found a
way to get the two sides to converse, not just in her hometown of Philadelphia, but also later in
Minneapolis where the murder of George Floyd occurred.
“I was surprised,” Stephania said about her trip to Minneapolis. “From the media, everyone was
telling me to be careful. It will be dangerous and crazy, but then we got there and it was not
dangerous and crazy. The community is really coming together there, which was beautiful to see.
They are working on healing themselves and bringing everyone together and moving forward in
a positive way. That was really cool to see, because that was not my expectation.”
Stephania and her team plan on traveling to Washington D.C. next with their eyes on uniting the
nation’s capital. Still, while playing a game of basketball helps both the police and protestors to
let down their guard and converse, it is only step one to the bigger picture.
“The hoop is not going to end racism. That’s not the goal here,” Ergemlidze said. “The goal is to
break the tension long enough where the communication can happen and real change makers can
step in.”
According to Stephania that change begins with everyone, especially the young voters of
America. “Voting is a very important part in this,” she said. “This is not just at the national level.
You need to help decide who is in your state and local government because those are the people
controlling the police system. Those are the people controlling what is happening in your area.
Young people need to advocate to vote. That is the only way we are going to see change, is if we
fix the people controlling the system and put the right people in charge.”
She added, “Focus on trying to move forward rather than staying stagnant. The only way we are
going to solve any problems is by coming together. You cannot be afraid to take a stand. Do
what you can do – vote, donate, sign petitions – and do it really well. That is so much bigger than
doing nothing at all.”
Between Philadelphia and Minneapolis, Stephania estimated she has played up to 60 pickup
basketball games, with more on the way in D.C. Those that wish to follow her adventures can
follow her Instagram account @StephaniaE. She also has a YouTube channel and welcomes text
messages to 215-309-9648, where followers can ask her about her adventures and suggest a
future destination for her famous hoop.
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