New Orleans, Louisiana is
known for Mardi Gras, the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, the Saints, and great
cuisine to name a few. For fans of UALR
women's basketball, New Orleans represents junior forward Chastity Reed. Reed not only
carries the expectations and excitement of her team on her back but also her
hometown from starting lineup to finish.
Come to any UALR women's
basketball game and watch the bench during the starting lineups. Even though you might not be able to hear
what is said, Chastity Reed is saluting the place she loves every time they
call her name.
“Every time they call my
name, Chastity Reed from New Orleans, Louisiana, at the beginning of the game,
I always say 'Seventh ward baby' and slap everybody's hands,” said Reed. “Every single game since I have been here and
started, I have said that.”
The Seventh Ward where she
was raised is even represented in her signature where a seven appears in the
zero of the 20. Everything she does
represents the place she calls home.
“New Orleans is always
going to be my number one home, my only home,” said Reed. “I am glad to be at Arkansas-Little Rock, and
I am glad to be playing ball here. I
just like to go back home.”
New Orleans is not where
Reed graduated from high school.
Hurricane Katrina prevented that.
Moving to Dallas in 2005, she was ready to go back in December after
only one month. When Hurricane Katrina
hit her hometown, going back was not an option.
“Once that hit, I couldn't
go back, and I had to stay in Texas,” said Reed. “Actually, it was probably a sign from God,
because they (UALR) found me in Dallas.
I am glad that I got to move to Dallas and get recruited here.”
Despite her short stay in
Dallas, Reed's only hometown is New Orleans.
It always will be.
Now, Reed along with the
UALR women's basketball team travel to the Crescent City to compete against the
University of New Orleans Wednesday.
Lakefront Arena will see a lot of UALR fans in Chastity Reed's family
who can't wait to see the team play.
“I love to go back to New
Orleans,” said Reed. “Every year there
is probably about 50 to 60 fans. They
are pretty eager to see me play. I know
they are proud of me, and I want to show them what my team can do.”
Reed is so proud of her
hometown that soon she will represent the place she loves on her back finishing
her tattoo. The tattoo will feature the
Louisiana Superdome on her lower back with clouds across her shoulder blades
and butterflies.
For most, a tattoo of that
magnitude would be extreme, but for Reed, it is just another way to allow people
to see where her heart lies and show her pride for New Orleans.
“I have to represent,”
said Reed. “I want everybody to see that
Superdome when they look at my back first.”
For most people, the place
where they grew up is just brought up in passing. But for Chastity Reed, New Orleans, Louisiana
is a part of her. It has, and it always
will be. For Reed, there is no place
like home.
