Courtside: A Memoir of Life, Learning, Law & Purpose

By Derick Loury

Book Overview

In the tender embrace of Darby Township, where the whispers of the Greater Philadelphia loomed large, Derick Loury penned the inaugural chapters of his life. With the rhythmic dribble of a basketball as his constant companion, Loury unfolds his autobiography, a small-town boy with eyes alight with the glint of Division 1 dreams.

This is not merely a tale; it is a tapestry woven with the meticulous threads of encyclopedic detail and the vibrant hues of personal sagas. A humble, authentic reflection of a life's journey, Derick's narrative is a heartfelt sojourn through the corridors of self-discovery. The heart of his story beats to the pulsating rhythm of basketball, a steadfast echo from boyhood to the stern corridors of law enforcement.

As Loury takes us by the hand, we tread the storied paths of his youth in Darby Township. Here, amid the laughter and trials of a young black child in a predominantly white enclave, he confronts the jagged edges of racism, slicing through the fabric of the Southeast Delco School District with policies that shield privilege, leaving a community to grapple with the aftermath of a legal storm that would scar its history.

It is basketball, that sacred dance on the court, intertwined with an unwavering faith, that casts the longest shadows in Loury's odyssey. For even as the specters of grief and loss loomed, clouding his school days and darkening the doorstep of home, it was the discipline of sport that restored structure to his world, and the solace of faith that ushered him into the arms of community.

As a man, Loury's life would continue to be a testament to giving, his legacy etched in the sports programs he championed. Through the mosaic of faces and stories that touched his life, he found a richness beyond measure. Grief's sharp edges were softened by the gentle ebb and flow of fishing trips with his grandparents, where he pieced together the fragments of his heart.

In the foreword, Jay Wright, the esteemed Naismith Hall of Fame Coach and a steadfast beacon in Loury's life, offers a window into the soul of a friend. Through Loury's eyes, we journey across the landscape of eastern Pennsylvania, each experience, each trial and triumph, converging to mold the man of honor we see today.

Derick Loury's story is an invitation to walk the streets of his memories, to see the world through his victories and defeats, and to understand how a dream, when chased with relentless passion, can define one's destiny.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1667839225
• ISBN13: 9781667839226
• Release Date: June 2022
• Publisher: Bookbaby
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.9" x 8.9"