By Joey Johnston
She believes in selflessly distributing opportunities and unifying everyone to work effectively as a team. In basketball, that’s how you define a great point guard.
So it makes sense that Bemetra Simmons, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Partnership, is chairing the Tampa Bay Local Organizing Committee Advisory Board to help promote the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four, headed to downtown Tampa’s Amalie Arena on April 4 and 6.
“I’m not just looking forward to the event, I’m beyond excited for what we’ve got ahead of us,’’ Simmons said. “We’re looking to drum up excitement and spread the word.
“This event is in my blood. Even if I wasn’t involved, as a fan, I’d be completely all-in anyway. But this is absolutely perfect. Getting people to pull together for a common goal, it feels like that has been my life’s work. What a fantastic chance we have to showcase our community and enjoy this world-class event at the same time.’’
Understand this: Simmons actually was a true point guard, running the on-court show for her college team, NCAA Division II Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn.
Simmons describes herself as a “military brat’’ who lived in 10 states and two countries. But she always considered her hometown as Memphis, a hoops hotbed if there ever was one, a place where she always sought the best pickup games with the guys and learned the fine art of talking smack.
Simmons wants that passion reflected in the 37-woman TBLOC Advisory Board, comprised of community leaders from business, sports franchises, non-profit organizations and education.
“Bemetra is a natural-born point guard and team player who is a highly respected leader in our community,’’ said Claire Lessinger, vice president of events for the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. “Combine that with her love of Tampa, sports and women’s hoops and there is no one better than Bemetra to chair (the Advisory Board).
“Bemetra leads with passion and purpose. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Board. She shares in our vision and mission, helping ensure that we elevate and impact at every turn.’’
A few decades back, Simmons and her twin sister (Demetra) began an annual pilgrimage to the Women’s Final Four as an early celebration of their birthday (April 22). Simmons will always remember the 2008 Women’s Final Four, Tampa’s first opportunity to host the event, because it changed her life forever.
Simmons was then an Atlanta-based banker who relished following her favorite team, the Tennessee Lady Vols. Sure enough, Coach Pat Summitt’s team won the 2008 title. “I call it Tennessee’s ‘most recent’ national championship, not its ‘last’ national championship, because that implies there won’t be another one,’’ Simmons said with a laugh.
But Simmons was more taken by the championship performance of Tampa — not Tennessee.
“It was my first time to Tampa and I remember thinking to myself, ‘Man, this seems like such a cool community,’ ‘’ Simmons said. “It was the awesome weather, the friendliness of everyone and the sheer ease of getting around. I remember walking around the downtown. I remember taking the trolley to Ybor City and eating a Cuban sandwich for the first time.
“I mean, the games were great and Tennessee won. But the greatest memory was how Tampa offered so much more. We had been to the Women’s Final Four in several other cities, but we never had an experience like Tampa. The locals were like, ‘Oh, welcome to Tampa’ or ‘You’ve got to go here … you’ve got to eat here.’ It didn’t matter where we were, every single person was so proud and excited that we were there. It was so welcoming. So I thought to myself, ‘If I ever get the opportunity, this is the type of community I can see myself living in.’ ‘’
That opportunity came in 2011, when Simmons’ bank offered her a transfer to Tampa. Ever since, Simmons has become a pillar of the community, through her former positions in banking and non-profit organizations and now with the Tampa Bay Partnership, which is devoted to research, public policy and advocacy for the largest employers in an eight-county region.
Lessinger sought out Simmons in 2015, a few months before Tampa Bay’s second Women’s Final Four, to gauge her interest in helping with the event.
“You don’t have to worry about getting me excited about the Women’s Final Four coming anywhere, let alone the community I’m living in,’’ Simmons said. “When Claire came by, I thought it was a joke, like that old TV show, Punk’d. Are you kidding me? Just tell me what to do and where to go.
“Being involved with this event is like a dream for me. Our committee wants to make sure that enthusiasm is present through our entire community and I have no doubt it will be. As a basketball fan, that’s what I saw very clearly. Tampa is a place like no other and we’re going to make sure that all of our guests have the times of their life. It’s such a special time to be involved. The interest in women’s sports is at an all-time high. I have never seen such excitement and engagement.’’
Simmons said she couldn’t have dreamed of such popularity when she learned the game and aspired to play at the Division I level. She was 5-foot-6, more efficient than spectacular, and she never forgot the words of her high-school athletic director.
“You have great grades. Remember that the first-string point guard in Division II has more fun than the third-string point guard in Division I.’’
So Simmons landed at Christian Brothers, where she had a great experience, received a quality education and set her professional career in motion.
These days, Simmons is more of a golfer. That game lends itself to social and business interaction. But a few times each week, Simmons will wander to a playground near her home. She plays the around-the-world shooting game she learned as a child, maybe runs a few suicides for cardio, then makes some full-court back-and-forth runs for layups.
“The cool thing about basketball is you can play it by yourself or with a team,’’ Simmons said.
Sometimes, Simmons misses the camaraderie she once felt on the court, but she gets those same feelings during her work with the Tampa Partnership and now with the Advisory Board.
“We want to see good, competitive exciting basketball, of course, but we want every single fan that comes to Tampa Bay to have a wonderful experience,’’ Simmons said. “We have so much to showcase and we’d love for everyone to come back. Maybe like me, they’d like to make Tampa Bay their home as well.
“In 2008, the star of our Women’s Final Four was Candace Parker (of Tennessee), so talent has never been an issue. What has changed is the exposure, the invention of social media to give these athletes a platform, the way the game has hit an entirely different level. If you haven’t experienced women’s basketball lately, you’re in for a treat. And even if you’ve been to Tampa for the other three Women’s Final Fours, you’re in for a treat there, too. There’s more to see and more to do. We intend to show you a great time with our hospitality and put you in a position to enjoy some great women’s basketball.’’
Spoken like a true point guard.
Tampa Bay Local Organizing Committee Advisory Committee
Rafaela Amador Fink (Tampa Bay Rays); Lori Baggett (POD Enterprises, LLC); Rebecca Bast (Bast Financial Group); Trimeka Benjamin (Swim Digital Group); Mason Brady (Positive Coaching Alliance-Tampa Bay); Jane Castor (City of Tampa Mayor); Veronica Cintron (Tampa International Airport); AnnMarie Cortney (Hillsborough County Public Schools); Candace Culver (Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA); Elizabeth Frazier (Tampa Bay Lightning); Meredith Freeman (Shutts and Bowen, LLP); Yvonne Fry (Workforce Development Partners Corp); Michelle Gervais (Blank Rome LLP; WISE Tampa Bay); Jane Godfrey (Visit Tampa Bay); Tiffany Greene (ESPN); Lauren Gstalder (USF Women in Leadership and Philanthropy); Michelle Harrolle (Vinik Sport and Entertainment Management Program); Molly James (Metropolitan Ministries Foundation); Mary Pat King (Girl Scouts of West Central Florida); Claire Lessinger (Tampa Bay Sports Commission); Kimberly Madison (Strategic Property Partners LLC); Marissa Moschel (Vinik Sports Group/Tampa Bay Lightning); Jessica Muroff (United Way Suncoast); Mindy Murphy (The Spring of Tampa Bay); Kris Pierce (University of South Florida); Celeste Roberts (The Skills Center); LaKendria Robinson (The Orenda Collective LLC); Kourtney Sanchez (Tampa Bay Buccaneers); Meredith Scerba (National Association of College Directors of Athletics); Bemetra Simmons (Tampa Bay Partnership); Stephanie Smith (Tampa Electric Company); Barbara Sparks-McGlinchy (USF Athletics-Retired); Christina Unkel (Tampa Bay Sun FC); Tracy West (Valspar Championship/Copperhead Charities); Bonnie West (Hillsborough County); India Witte (University of South Florida Foundation, Inc.); Dr. Stacy Baier (Helios Education Foundation).
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