BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer
PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff Richard Kee, of Delaware, performs with the Heavenly Angels Soul Steppers at Liberty Street Park, Freehold Borough. The performance was one of the activities held as part of the Liberty Street Park basketball court revitalization project. FREEHOLD – Youngsters in the borough have a friend in the big leagues and his name is Darrell Reid.
Reid, a former Freehold High School football player, is currently a member of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts but a piece of his heart remains in the town in which he grew up – Freehold Borough.
Reid has not forgotten the days when he played football in his backyard and those memories have prompted him to give something back to his hometown.
More than 2,000 people came out to meet Reid during a Memorial Day Basketball Bonanza held at Liberty Street Park on May 29.
The event, sponsored by the YMCA of Western Monmouth County, Freehold Township, and YMCA Community Center, Freehold Borough, was part of the Liberty Street Park basketball court revitalization project, according to Mel O’Neal, outreach director of the YMCA Community Center.
Darrell Reid The event was held in conjunction with the annual Liberty Street Family Fun Day barbecue and was an effort among many people, including members of the recreation commission, municipal officials and borough employees, according to O’Neal.
The project marked the start of Reid’s association with the YMCA, an organization that was important to him when he was young.
According to O’Neal, Reid was a “YMCA kid.”
Reid has said he wants to be a positive role model for area youngsters and to help make a difference in their lives.
Following his graduation from high school, Reid played football at the University of Minnesota. He eventually signed a free agent contract with the Colts, went to training camp and earned a spot on the team as a 6-2, 288-pound defensive end. During the 2005 season the Colts posted the best regular season record in the NFL (14-2). The Colts were knocked out of the playoffs by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Reid had seven tackles and four assists during the regular season.
Jermaine Smoke, 15, leads the drum line for the Heavenly Angels Soul Steppers, of Delaware, at Liberty Street Park. In addition to the basketball bonanza on May 29, the Liberty Street Park event included food, music and entertainment. The park is the site for the Darrell Reid “Footz” Foundation Liberty Street Park basketball court revitalization project.
The project’s mission was to replace the park’s old basketball backboards with new ones, which were unveiled at the event. Cleaning up the property was also part of the plan and that’s where the borough’s Public Works Department came through, O’Neal said.
O’Neal said the event was a huge success and that many people saw how Reid embraced the community he remembers and still feels connected to.
Annie Stattel, the director of development for the YMCA, said many sponsors helped to make the event possible, including Dr. Michael Jones, chairman and managing partner of Central Jersey Emergency Medical Associates at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township; the law firm of Manning, Caliendo and Thomson, Freehold; and the law firm of Lomurro, Davison, Eastman and Munoz, Freehold Township. Stattel and her husband, Bill, also helped to sponsor the event. She said Reid helped to pay for the new equipment.
Stattel sees Reid as a young man who, realizing that he has “made it,” wants to give something back.
“Darrell truly believes that being involved in sports kept him on track when he was young,” Stattel said. “He feels that sports encourages youngsters to stay away from gangs and prompts them to stick with working hard.”
Stattel said Reid was a YMCA camp counselor and that he epitomizes the meaning of the YMCA mission statement: “Building strong kids, strong families and strong communities.”
“He’s a nice kid. He definitely cares about other people and doing the right thing. And he has a good heart,” Stattel said.
In a conversation on June 12, Reid said the Memorial Day event in the borough did exactly what it was supposed to do.
“There were a lot of kids playing games and everyone had a good time,” Reid said. “We had zero problems.”
Reid said the event was a collaborative effort among many people and organizations, including the Colts, who lent their support in sponsorship.
Reid grew up on Haley Street and said when he was growing up a lot of people in the area were there to help him out.
“I feel blessed to be playing in the NFL and I’m glad that now I’m in a position to help other people,” he said.
And that’s exactly what Reid is continuing to do. In addition to the new basketball equipment at the Liberty Street Park, Reid has two other projects planned for his foundation, including an essay contest that will involve a Colts game. A “Footz” football camp is on the horizon for next summer.