Meet Coach Dick Yoakum. Coach Yoakum was born and raised in New Meadows. His father and grandfather were both
raised in New Meadows too. He played football, basketball, track, and baseball for Meadows Valley, graduating in 1965. His
favorite sport growing up was basketball. After graduation he went to work in the Timber industry, working for J.I. Morgan
of over 30 years. He also worked in construction and did excavation work at Tamarack as well. In the 1980’s Coach Yoakum
coached the junior varsity boy’s basketball team and assisted with the varsity team with Mike Howard, who was the Meadows
valley principal at that time. Under their leadership, the boys won the district championship in 1985 and 1986.
Coach
Yoakum came out of retirement last year and coached the Meadows Valley varsity boy’s basketball team. He explained that
the boy’s have been preparing all year for the 2009-10 basketball season attending camps such as the one at Pine Eagle
this summer and playing in their free time. He believes that the boys he is coaching this year have the potential to go all
the way to state. He is hoping that focusing on the fundamentals last season will pay off and the boys will be ready to run
the ball down the court and score, playing fast paced basketball games and winning as a result. He invites parents to come
to watch practices and games, to provide input, and to get involved. He expressed his desire to help the boys not only on
the basketball court but off as well with their academic studies and with whatever life throws at them. Coach Yoakum is a
hero and it is a privilege for our Meadows Valley basketball team to have such an outstanding man as their coach. Go
Mountaineers!
