Central Dewitt Hall of Fame Induction Class 2008 Pat Meade Central Dewitt Hall of Fame Induction Class 2008

Inducted for Outstanding Contributions as a Coach and administrator of Central High School

Biography Pat Meade is a 1974 graduate of Williamsburg High School.  Pat Meade actively served in the Navy from 1975-77, and a Navy reservist from 1977- 80.  Beginning in 1982, Pat served the St. Joseph’s and Central school districts for the next 14 years.  Pat taught P.E., Social Studies, as well as serving as Central’s AD, and St. Joseph’s Principal.  Pat coached several sports at Central including Football, Girls Golf, Softball, and Girls Basketball.

Article from the Observer The 1994 state championship may have been Pat Meade’s biggest coaching success as the Central girls basketball head coach, but it was not his first, and it surely was not his last. Meade began coaching the Sabers in 1990, when he led the girls to a 14-9 overall record and a 10-4 conference record, good enough for a third-place finish in the Big Bend conference. He also earned the Big Bend coach of the year award. A Meade-led Sabers’ squad never again would finish any lower than third in conference play after that first year. The following year, the Sabers were even better, finishing 15-6 and 12-2 to win the first of many of Meade’s Big Bend championships, while Meade won a second straight coach of the year award. A third year of improvement followed in 1993 as the Sabers won another conference title under Meade and again the Central head man brought home coach of the year honors. T he following year, Meade and the Sabers went undefeated in conference play and Meade won an unprecedented fourth in a row coach of the year award and Central went on to win the state championship. There was not one game during that year that stuck out in Meade’s mind, just the hard work and character of his players.

The Observer (cont.) “Watching the team develop the confidence over the year that they could play and beat anyone,” Meade responded when asked about specific memories of that season. ”We received a card from a lady from Illinois stating how impressed she was with the girls after meeting them at the hotel we stayed at in Des Moines.” The following year, the Sabers were again at the state tournament – ultimately losing to eventual state champion Carroll in the first round – as Central finished second in Big Bend play. Meade and the Sabers would end up winning 10 conference championships before the Big Bend disbanded during the 2003-04 school year. Meade’s record during his 13 years in the conference was 157-25, which equals a 86.3 winning percentage, and the Central coach ended up winning six coach of the year awards. Overall, Meade finished 274-77, good for a 78 winning percentage. Meade did more than coach girls basketball during his time at Central. He was also an assistant football coach as well as girls golf and softball coach. In addition, Meade also taught physical educaton, social studies and science at St. Joseph and United States and world history at the high school, while also working as the Sabers’ athletic director 1991-98.

The Observer (cont.) In 1998, he took over as principal at St. Joseph and after eight years eventually moved to Dubuque to become assistant principal of Eisenhower Elementary. Currently, Meade is in his first year as principal at Dyersville Beckman, after a year as principal at Carver Elementary in Dubuque, but the town of DeWitt always will hold a special place in his heart. “I will always remember DeWitt as being a welcoming place,” Meade said. “It felt good to be part of the community for 25 years. It is a place that takes a great deal of pride in its schools. Aiding that sense of community is the number of friendships Meade and his wife, Mary Jane, made in town. When asked about the specific memories of his time in DeWitt, Meade was quick to point how his friends responded to the birth of his children (Rebecca, Bridget and Patrick Jr.) or the purchase of a new house and the reaction they provided when Meade announced he was moving. The hall of fame induction will be another accomplishment for the long-time Central head coach in a career full of them, but Meade could not be any happier for his latest honor. “I feel blessed to have been a part of the DeWitt community and am honored to be recognized as being a small part in a bighearted place.”