NBA Scout Donates Basketballs to Devon Rotary League

Joe Meade, the Northeast Regional College Scout for the NBA’s Utah Jazz and the Director of Hoopskills Basketball Instruction has donated 200 basketballs to the Devon Rotary Knights Basketball League.  Meade is the former Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Lehman College, Bronx, New York and he has also worked as an assistant coach at the University of New Haven and Southern Connecticut State University.

Keith Rice, President of the DRKB has been working with Meade to improve his program and has partnered with Hoopskills this past Fall to offer clinics for the players and coaches.  The Devon Knights Rotary League has been in existence for 14 years and has grown to nearly 600 players and over 50 teams under Rice’s leadership. “This is a big leap for our kids and coaches and we are grateful to Joe for his generosity and time.” stated Rice. “We have the foundation for a successful organization and this partnership will add some much needed hands on training and supplies for both the players and the volunteers who coach the kids.” The league has recently expanded their travel team program to challenge the best players in Milford to compete at a higher level.

Meade is a Bronx native and a retired New York City Transit Police Officer who began his coaching career after leaving the department due to job related injuries 1989. He was hired by the Utah Jazz in 2012 to scout college talent in the northeast.  “I have the greatest job on the planet, says Meade an admitted basketball junkie.  I get to see the best college players in the country compete in some of the nicest arenas in the world.”   

Rice and Meade began brainstorming last year when Joe’s daughter, Soledad (age 10) started playing in the league.  “I didn’t have the time to coach, but I wanted to help out in any way that I could. Playing basketball has helped me in so many ways, I wanted my daughter and the kids of Milford to have a similar experience.”  The DRKB recently hosted its First Annual Hoopskills Basketball Clinic at the Parsons Gymnasium and the first ever coaches clinic for the parents and coaches who volunteer their time to help out. Meade and Rice coordinated the efforts with the help of some volunteer coaches. The turnout was great and the feedback was terrific.  Meade decided to donate the basketballs to get the season off to a good start. “I keep telling the coaches to get basketballs into the kid’s hands and keep them moving, so I thought I should donate the balls and let them get to work.  It’s feels good to give back some of what I have gotten from basketball.”

The Devon Rotary Knights Basketball League is sponsored by the Devon Rotary in conjunction with the Milford Recreation Department. They accept boys and girls age 9-16 that reside in Milford. The season kicked off on November 16 with its Preseason Tournament and runs through March. For more information go to Hoopskills Basketball Instruction on Facebook or visit www.drkb.org.