Football’s future lies in the hands of Meade
By Dan Canova
A complete reconstructive knee surgery almost put an end to Robbie Meade’s college career as Lock Haven University’s quarterback, but after taking two years off from school, Meade regained his confidence and finally found a home at Kean in 2013.
“Before Kean, I had a scholarship to Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania,” Meade said. “I started up there as a true freshman for seven games, and then I blew my knee out. I completely shattered my knee cap and I lost all motivation to do anything.”
After recently winning the McKinley Boston Award, which is presented to a student/athlete regarding a leadership role for his or her team, Meade was also named the starting quarterback and team captain for the Cougars for the upcoming 2014 season. Now all Meade can do is focus on the future, and leave his past
behind him.
“So far starting with this offseason, I’m really looking forward to seeing how the players progress,” Meade said. “I think it was like 15 seniors who left, so I really want to see who’s going to take that step up and fill in their roles.”
Meade already has a few personal and team goals set on his mind looking ahead to next season.
“I’m trying to be more efficient in my passes and I want to know my reads better,” Meade said. “Towards the end of the year you could see my progressions. Basically I just want to improve on making better and quicker decisions and as a team I’m trying to win the NJAC Championship and go to the playoffs.”
Kean finished its 2013 campaign with an overall record of 2-8, however that didn’t reflect the team’s competitiveness on the field. Late in the season, the Cougars suffered defeat in six of its last seven games by an average of six points.
Meade took over for the injured Christian Bailoni in Kean’s fourth game of the season against SUNY Cortland, and it was Meade who was Kean’s signal caller the rest of the way.
“After Christian (Bailoni) went down against (SUNY) Cortland I knew I had to come in and take the leadership role as the starting quarterback,” Meade said. “It was a little bit of a bumpy road losing multiple games by a point here, six points there. It just didn’t seem like we got the breaks we needed but the experience was a great one for me because no matter what, we stayed together as a team and everyone gave it everything they had every game. There wasn’t much more anyone could ask of us.”
Lock Haven University was a disappointing experience for Meade, but he isn’t letting that effect his playing future with the Cougars.
“Coming from my old school, it wasn’t the atmosphere I wanted to be apart of anymore,” Meade said. “They were so used to losing and it was like it didn’t even matter. Then I come here (to Kean), and everybody’s like a family. His (head coach Dan Garrett) inspirational speeches before games really gets me amped up, and it was something I needed.”
During his two years off from school, watching football is what made Meade realize what he was missing out on. Football has been apart of Meade’s life ever since he could remember. He even recalls seeing baby pictures with a football by his side and the person who made that all happen was
his father.
“Football helped my bond with my dad from the beginning,” Meade said. “Everything I was brought up on was athletics. Football was day one to me, and it was something we always were able to do together. I always said I wasn’t going to be that guy who wasted my talent. So I came here (to Kean) to give it another shot.”