Inspirational captain Jjay reaches 200 games

It's a big occasion this Friday night for the Perth Redbacks when NBL1 women’s captain Jess Jakens celebrates her 200th game. Given she has become the heart and soul of the team over recent years, it's a milestone that deserves significant recognition.

Today she is one of the most consistent, reliable and respected warriors in the NBL1 West competition. But as Jakens herself will tell you, it’s not natural talent that’s gotten her here. Instead, as all who know her will attest, it’s come through pure hard work, determination, commitment and heart.

She got her first taste of playing in the state league back in 2011 with Narelle Henry as player-coach and she's been remarkably consistent ever since, averaging 9.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and shooting just under 50 per cent from the field.

Those numbers don't really come close to summing up the full impact of Jakens out on the court for the Redbacks, though. She can fill it up and score big when she's required, she is a brilliant rebounder and a tremendous defender, and has turned herself into a strong leader.

There have been some tough years thrown in there from a team perspective as well with the Redbacks still chasing the success that came in the early years of the SBL in the Women's competition. Today’s milestone has provided Jakens with a chance to reflect on the journey so far.

"If anything, reaching 200 games has given me an opportunity to reflect on the last 10 seasons or so and what a ride it has been. I’ll never forget how panicked I was when Narelle Henry threw me into my first game in Round 1. I think I spent the entire nine minutes I played trying not to wear a full-court, no-look pass from her," Jakens said.

"All this time has proved to me that success and progress aren’t always sequential. It’s pretty hard to put into words what the Perth Redbacks as an association means to me. They’ve given me a home and a family since I was 11 years old.

"I’ve had the means to play and coach with, against and for some of the greatest humans I’ve ever met and I’m grateful for the sport of basketball to have been that vessel. 

"Although each year our roster has looked pretty different, it’s allowed me a chance to get to know a whole bunch of people and share with them what it means, to me, to be a Redback. Whether they stayed a year or 10, I hope if anything that whatever time they spent here, it felt like home to them too. That’s always been my goal."

Jakens has turned herself into one of the most vocal and inspirational leaders in the competition and has been captain at the Redbacks since 2014, but it's not something that came easily to her and she’s had to grow into it.

"I feel that being a leader doesn’t come naturally to me, and the only way I really know how to band people together is to lead by example," she said.

"My team know no matter what, I’m going to have their back despite how loud I may shout at practice. We’ve got a great next-gen coming up through our ranks and I love seeing the pride they have in representing our club.

"That part of being a captain and being a teammate is important to me. I keep having to remind myself, however, that many moons ago, I too was that 16-year-old kid fearful of making a mistake. Over the last couple of years I’ve had to change my communication style to reflect that."

In 2020 Jakens developed a strong frontcourt partnership with Maddie Allen in the West Coast Classic and it’s been a treat to see that continue this year. With Makailah Dyer back to lead the backcourt, she is excited about what they can produce as an entire squad in 2021.

"Maddie is a phenomenal big presence inside. In addition to that she is one of the best assist players in the league," Jakens said.

"It’s much easier to score when you've got someone looking for you down in the post so I was really appreciative of her making me look good last year.

"With Mak coming back, she's an absolute scorer which is something else we needed on this team. She's a great leader and facilitator that is going to bring a wealth of knowledge and skillset to the team next year."

As for that ultimate success, in Dyer's last season with the Redbacks in 2018 they went ever so close to reaching a Grand Final. After finishing the regular season in second spot, they heartbreakingly lost two games on the buzzer to the Mandurah Magic in the semi-finals.

That gave Jakens a taste of what it's like to contend for a championship and she wants more of it.

"Missing out on a Grand Final by two points in two games in 2018 was tough to take. I think after the first game we said that wouldn’t happen (losing by one point on the buzzer), but it literally did happen again in that Game 2 against Mandurah," Jakens said.

"That definitely left a burning fire in my belly and we've been unlucky to just miss finals the last couple of years. We've retained some really good kids who have come across the last couple of years and that is our future.

"So we'll invest in that and create a program that is sustainable, and with our new additions I'll be excited to be in the running and actually building a team that is going to perform at that level too."

Like any milestone, this Friday night will only be an occasion for Jakens to really remember fondly against East Perth at Mirrabooka if the Redbacks are able to notch another win for the occasion too.

"A win on my 200th game would be a great way to celebrate but we’re expecting a lot from ourselves this weekend and I don’t think my milestone game has anything to do with what we are striving for as a group," Jakens said.

"We had a big lapse in our game last week against East Perth and we’ve been at work rectifying where our errors lie, and we are looking forward to getting both W’s in this double header."

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Article by Chris Pike for the Perth Redbacks