MLC to bring Harlem Ambassadors to this area
Mountain Lake Christian (MLC) is excited to be able to bring the Harlem Ambassadors – and their basketball show – to this area on Sunday afternoon, October 2, beginning at 2 p.m., in the BARC (Business, Arts and Recreation Center) in Windom, located at 1012 5th Avenue. They will square-off against the Windom Area All-Stars.
Tickets are now available at the MLC office (427-2010) and at the BARC (831-2375). Advance tickets are $5, with tickets at the door $7.
About the Harlem Ambassadors
The mission of the Harlem Ambassadors is to deliver a quality basketball show to audiences throughout the United States and internationally. The show is designed to be fun for customers of all ages, with youngsters being awed for the first time and older folks enjoying the tried-and-true gags like a rerun of a favorite comedy movie. The Ambassadors’ operation is professional in all aspects. In addition to having a wholesome family entertainment product, we are also good citizens and willing role models for youth, promoting the values of staying in school, staying off drugs and fostering racial harmony.
The Harlem Ambassadors Professional Show Basketball team was conceived in October 1997 by Dale Moss. Moss combined an extensive career in professional sports management and marketing with an entrepreneurial desire to create the Harlem Ambassadors concept. Already operating a sports marketing firm in Fort Collins, Colorado, Moss began seeking a central figure to direct the basketball operations of the Harlem Ambassadors.
Through discussions with several persons, Moss had chosen to contact S. “Ladè Majic” Prophète regarding this role. She was the first and only choice for the position, but was out-of-touch playing professionally in Israel. While on a scouting trip for players in New York, Moss learned that she had returned from overseas, met with her, and found they shared a common vision for a show basketball team. Ladè Majic signed with the Harlem Ambassadors in April 1998.
The first training camp was held in September 1998 and the team launched their inaugural tour in October. The first-ever Harlem Ambassadors game was played in Mountain Home, Idaho on October 10, 1998. The first season saw the Ambassadors play approximately 30 games.
The Harlem Ambassadors have experienced steady growth since 1998 and are committed to presenting a wholesome family show with high-quality performers. President Dale Moss attributes the team’s continuous growth to its focus on quality people and a commitment to superior customer service and audience-pleasing event performance.
During the history of the Ambassadors, the team has made multiple international tours. Included in the list of nations and overseas territories that the Ambassadors have visited are Canada, Germany, England, Iceland, Macedonia (FYROM), Bosnia, Kosovo, Hungary, Korea, Japan, Cuba (Guantanamo Bay Naval Station), Puerto Rico, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, Palau and French Polynesia (Tahiti).
In the 2002-2003 season, a second touring unit was spun off. The group performing primarily east of the Mississippi was designated the “Red, White, and Blue” unit and the western touring squad was called the “Stars and Stripes” unit. Between the two units, the Harlem Ambassadors perform 200 shows and 150 “Stay in School, Stay off Drugs” youth programs each season.
The Harlem Ambassadors is a group of men and women who all have played college basketball and have college degrees in fields ranging from exercise science to counseling rehabilitation. From September to May, they travel all over the country, putting on 220 fundraising events for nonprofit organizations.
The team annually holds a two-week pre-season training camp and mid-season training camp at Council Tree Covenant Church in Fort Collins, Colorado, and Great Lakes Naval Base in Great Lakes, Illinois. Performers are selected not only for their basketball and entertainment skills, but also for their positive lifestyles and ability to be “Ambassadors” both on and off the court.
Due to the rigors of the road and the demands of touring, most performers stay with the team for a year or two before moving on to a more sedentary life. Ladè Majic is the exception, having been on tour with the Ambassadors in each of the team’s seasons since 1998. Among the performers who have contributed to the growth of the Ambassadors with multi-year commitments are Bobby “Sugar Bear” Patman, Reggie Robinson, T’Neisha “Lil T” Turner, Jesse “Nephew” Whintly, and Ketrick “Jugglin’ Jazz” Copeland.
