About her experience
Her journey truly reflects her commitment to staying close to the fans and raising the profile of women in sports.
Raised across the river in Deptford, New Jersey, Waters grew up rooting for Philadelphia’s iconic teams. Her enthusiasm for athletics sparked an eternal romance between her and sports. She believes that it’s much bigger than that, than just a job. It is work that speaks profoundly to her values and vision for what the world can be.
Waters’ impact goes far beyond the pregame and postgame shows, however. As in-stadium emcee for football and basketball, she keeps the fans excited and engaged. Her dedication toward creating a positive and entertaining experience for fans is absolutely phenomenal. “I take pride in putting on a show where a woman’s voice has the same power and strength to get the game going,” Waters stated. This commitment is a powerful example of her desire to foster an inclusive environment where every fan feels respected and appreciated.
In her short tenure, Waters has already seen promising success for women winning in sports leadership roles. They are breaking down the old imagination constraints and paving the way to new possibilities. On the field, she understands how representation matters, and off the field as well, she knows how powerful representation is. “I try to be as visible as possible to aspiring women in sports to let them know there is a space for us whether you played the sport or not,” she emphasized, underscoring her commitment to mentorship.
Despite the demands of her schedule, which often involves community engagement outside of the arena, Waters finds her work rewarding. The bond she’d created with her fans over the years proved priceless. “Connecting with fans has given me memories that’ll last a lifetime,” she remarked, highlighting the unique relationship she has built with the DC community.
Ever since her early career, Waters has fared well having the backing of hometown fans. Perhaps best of all, they have cheered her on every step of the way. Being celebrated like that over in foreign countries from fans who view on (NBA) League Pass — the whole experience is surreal. The fans in DC have seen my career develop. They just rallied around me and celebrated every step of the way with me,” she said, looking back on her journey in a predominantly male, global-minded athletic community.
Yet Waters’ role as a trailblazer was not without bake-offs. She fully accepts the burden of responsibility, and certainly the act, that bestows upon her office. “I remember being excited, but feeling a weight of responsibility to entertain, to inform, to execute. That weight hasn’t faded, and I hope it never does,” she shared. This feeling is indicative of her great awareness of how her work affects the audience. She is ready to take full advantage of any opportunity—broad, narrow or otherwise—to deliver.
Like her counterparts in this exciting era of women breaking through glass ceilings in the world of sports, Waters is hopeful going forward. Fifty years later, we are still experiencing women breaking barriers and achieving new firsts every single day. “I always want to be creating those moments and those memories that folks can hold on to,” she said. Her ultimate goal is to be a role model for others through her art.
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