Las Gigantes de Carolina, the team with the most championships (18) in the history of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional Femenino, is on track to transform the perception of the league and the role women play within it.
A rebranding of the logo, the arrival of Kanny García as co-owner, and initiatives to bring more spectators to games reflect the distinctive touch of Claudia Ramos Zorrilla, who, along with García, is one of only two women running a franchise during the 2024 BSNF season.
In an interview with Platea on the podcast Punto Aparte, the publicist explained that her decision to join the team is also driven by a larger purpose: transforming women's sports in Puerto Rico.
Ramos Zorrilla, our second guest on Punto Aparte, inspired us with her vision for the future of sports on the Island, her career path, and advice for living a life with purpose.
This episode has been edited for the web. Watch the full interview on our YouTube page.*
How do you envision building a community within the Gigantes?
My message now focuses on the fact that we are making a change for those who come after us. As the motto says, we are "changing the game" for all the girls who might get involved, girls who like basketball, baseball or any other sport.
We want them to know that in Puerto Rico there are people and companies paying attention to women's sports. That yes, they will invest in them, and yes, they will build a solid foundation so those girls can see a league with potential in Puerto Rico.
That is the real change I want to make. And if I have the government on my side, I would love that, because we really need them. We need better facilities.
How do you define your purpose right now with the Gigantes?
When the courts fill up. When people give women's sports a chance. When the league grows. When more women become team owners.
When there are more teams in the towns. When there are more opportunities for the athletes who are emerging and want to enter the league. When we can develop a girls' league, where you go to the housing projects and the girls aren't playing on broken hoops, but instead we can put together something structured that gives them a future vision, a more competitive level. That is my goal. With that, I would be happy.
Tell us, if someone visits the Gigantes' Instagram, what should they take away from the new branding of the team?
In the official announcement of the rebranding Desireck Nieves appears. She will probably be the best basketball player Puerto Rico has ever had. She is from Carolina, she is in high school, and she was a standout player in the Liga de Buzzer Beater.
She aspires to be like her favorite player, Tyra Meléndez, and in the announcement, Desiré wakes up dreaming of being like Tyra, whom she finds on a basketball court, and at the end the new logo is revealed.
The logo represents that childhood dream. It means your dreams are never small; you can always become a giant. It has a "G" and a "C" representing the team's name, and above them a crown that symbolizes the 18 championships. The crown is formed by the word "Las." It was important to me that people recognize that they are "las" women, "las" Gigantes de Carolina.
What have you learned along the way?
One piece of advice I can give everyone is that you have to move quickly through the process, but be patient with the results. Don't lean on "we can do it tomorrow." It's better to do it today, and if what you wanted doesn't turn out as you hoped, wait for the results calmly. If it's meant for you, it will happen.
How can the BSNF league be revived?
Go to the games. We have to give ourselves that chance. Just like when we get something in our heads, that we want to start something, that we want this guy, this restaurant, we have to make a decision. If we believe that women deserve an opportunity in sports in Puerto Rico, then let's show up. It costs nothing. You're going to have a great time, and you're going to support something that should have been supported a long time ago.
And there's so much talent.
There's an enormous amount of talent. I can tell you that the Gigantes de Carolina look like a WNBA team, just like other teams in the Liga. Look at Pamela Rosado from Morovis. She's a beast. And for that kind of athlete, you have to give yourself the chance to see them, because it's not something you see every day.
Through the work of the Gigantes and throughout your career, you've been an inspiration to many people in Puerto Rico, especially women. What advice would you give to those who follow your journey and want to get into sports?
Go for it. A lot of these decisions require some degree of evaluation, and the first step should be because it fulfills you. Like finding your life's purpose. We're talking about sports here, but it could be anything. Think about the purpose. And you're going to find that purpose yourself, by taking this space to meditate and think about what you want in life. The second thing is to put on blinders. The most you're going to hear in life are negative comments.
Very few people are going to applaud you in the process. So you have to say, "It doesn't matter what's happening on the sides. I'm focused on what I have to do." If you waver a little, you're going to lose sight of the main purpose, which is to give visibility to the sport.
I would tell all women that if this is something you believe in, go for it. There are people who will say you're crazy because we still live in a very machista world. But we can handle this and much more.
As you also mention, it's a purpose, a project for the next generation.
At the end of the day I mention purpose because that's what's going to move you to make a difference. In my case it's sports. I believe 100% in sports. I can end up with no money, but if I achieved my purpose, I'm happy. I'm rich.
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
