Courtside

Derick Loury shares his autobiographical debut of a small-town boy traveling the Greater Philadelphia area to chase a dream of Division 1 competitive basketball. Loury combines information and narrative to craft a story full of encyclopedic detail and personal experiences. A humble, slice-of-life chronicle of one man's journey of self-discovery. The sport forms the backbone of the narrative and Loury's connection to it which he carries through boyhood and, ultimately, to a career in law enforcement. He reflects on detailed accounts of growing up in Darby Township. The challenges and milestones of a young black child in a predominantly white neighborhood and his first-hand encounter with racist policies geared to protect the rights and privileges of the Southeast Delco School District in eastern Pennsylvania. And the fallout of a historic legal battle that devastated the Darby Township Black Community. It is basketball and faith that resonate strongest in Loury's life, even if they could not solve every problem. While grief and loss at a young age shadowed his performance in school and home, athleticism brought back structure and purpose. His faith brought him to community and he'd continue to give back through sports programs as an adult. His life was enriched through the unique personalities whose experiences and views were deeply impactful. He recounts piecing himself back together after devastating loss on humble fishing trips with his grandparents. The foreword of this book is offered by Jay Wright, a Naismith Hall of Fame Coach and close friend throughout most of Loury's life. Explore eastern Pennsylvania through Loury's eyes, how his experiences culminate in the dedicated and esteemed person today.

Courtside, by Derick Loury is an autobiography detailing the growth, development, and challenges of a man with a rich range of experiences throughout his life. Basketball becomes a grounding and centering point for him, inspiring him on and off the court. He becomes a talented player throughout high school and college, though ultimately follows a different path once reaching adulthood and he cycles through a few jobs before joining law enforcement and, eventually, becoming a prison warden. He has many relationships along the way, friends and family that impact his life. The book is divided into three main sections–aptly titled with basketball terms–that chronicle grade school, college, and life after college. Though high school had set him up for a bright future in basketball, even earning him a scholarship to college, various obstacles kept him from achieving any true momentum with the sport. After many set-backs and life challenges, he finds a new passion and career in Law Enforcement which would eventually lead to his current career as a prison warden. Basketball remained a passion as he sought to organize leagues to give back to his community or to officiate for various schools. This book succeeds in an interesting combination of styles, while not quite being strictly any of them. It has a stream-of-consciousness feel while maintaining a linear drive forward through the author's life. At times it reads very factual and textbook like, which feels authentic to the author's style and experiences. He blends lists and facts with a distinct narrative voice to properly capture his unique perspective on life and its many challenges.

Derick Loury joined the Law Enforcement community with the City of Wildwood Police Department as a Class II Special Officer. He successfully completed the Cape May Court House Special Police Training Center in 1982. After a short tenure with the City of Wildwood, he continued his education in pursuit of becoming a member of law enforcement or the criminal justice community.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Police Science Studies at Rider College. He joined the New Jersey Department of Corrections in 1988 as a civilian, holding various mid-supervisor positions prior to taking his oath as a sworn Deputy Warden.  In 2008, he successfully completed the New Jersey Police Training Commission (PTC) Executive Level 6 weeks Training Course. In 2015, he was promoted to Administrator/Warden overseeing 300 Corrections Police Officers, 125 civilian personnel  25 private contractors and within a prison complex population of 1,400 inmates. He graduated from the National  Institute of  Corrections Academy  in Aurora, Colorado for newly installed Prison Wardens in the year 2017. Warden Derick Loury has been certified by the New Jersey Regional Intelligence Academy in 8 weeks training course as a Basic Intelligence Analyst. He successfully earned NJ Police Training Commission Instructor certification since 2017.  He has also volunteered his time and services mentoring Police Officers, Police Commanders, Correctional Police Executive Staff and other men and women in the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice field. He enjoys teaching, coaching and receiving training. During the daily operational management of the prison system, he synthesized intelligence concepts to ensure that safety is always a priority. He is currently serving as the Chairman of a nonprofit law-enforcement organization called C.A.B.L.E., incorporated since December 2020. Collective Agreement of Black Law Enforcement was created to address and correct the underrepresentation of blacks in all areas of law enforcement across jurisdictions. He recently created a Law enforcement and Public Safety group to tackle the lack of fidelity and accountability within the police,prison, group residential programs for adjudicated offenders and schools facing safety issues. He is an active member of Camden Board #34 Executive Committee as a Vice President since 2017. He specializes in protecting the intellectual properties of the referee organization in the South Jersey from external and internal influences that could disrupt a Class AAA independent contractor advocation. He conducts confidential inquiries with low social impact to the organization. He is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and of Bethany Baptist Connection Church.