East Harlem Pride Boys Basketball
Donation protected
Serving the student-athletes of five separate East Harlem high schools - including Park East High School, Central Park East High School, The Heritage School, Frederick Douglass Academy II, and The Coalition School for Social Change - the East Harlem Pride has emerged as an elite athletic programs in New York City’s Public Schools Athletic League, often in spite of the many day-to-day challenges faced by our students.
The boys basketball team, in particular, has had an incredible run since the program began in 2008, reaching the playoffs in each of the past nine seasons, and serving as a model of success for the rest of the program. Now entering my 6th year as head coach, I'm beyond proud of our program's development, and I'm consistently inspired by the hard work and commitment of our student-athletes. I've been blessed with the support of two incredible assistant coaches in Sean Wilson and Darren Schmidt, who both work tirelessly in the pursuit of teaching valuable life lessons and molding respectable young men, as well as the dedication of countless other administrators, teachers, parents, and community members.
This past season, the Pride showed tremendous growth and promise. After finishing the regular season at 12-4, the team was invited to participate in both the PSAL Showcase game - in which we defeated New Dorp High School - and the Manhattan Borough Championships. The team also earned its first ever playoff victory in the PSAL "A" Division by beating the defending champs HS of Telecommunications. As of this writing, 5 of our graduating seniors from last year's team will be playing at the Junior College or Division 3 level, while two former players continue to play at the collegiate level, including former MVP Elvin Rodriguez, who currently plays at the University of Denver (Division I).
With our next season quickly approaching, the Pride is hungrier than ever and wants to make a name for themselves in New York City. Unfortunately, we continue to face the daunting prospect of "doing more with less," and the program simply does not have the budget to support our growing demands. That's where you - our #1 fans - come in.
We are looking to raise $4500 to cover the costs of 10 new basketballs, practice equipment, and entry fees for various local tournaments. Additionally, the funds will help fund our annual Martin Luther King Jr. Classic, which brings together teams from throughout the New York City area for a thrilling weekend of competition. The money we raise will provide our program with much needed materials, and, more importantly, will give our student-athletes experiences that they will never forget.
If you find yourself in the New York City area, we would love to have you at a game. Aside from getting the opportunity to see me embarrass myself on the sidelines, you also get to watch some awesome basketball. A link to our schedule can be found here . You can also check out video footage of our playoff victory here .
To my knowledge, there is no better learning experience for young people than participating on a sports team. Teamwork, commitment, and selflessness are just a few of the values that are learned through a positive athletic experience. By providing your support - whether it’s $1 or $100 - you are directly impacting the life of a young person who is seeking to better himself through sport.
Thank you in advance for your generosity and support, and GO PRIDE.
- Coach Milbrand

The boys basketball team, in particular, has had an incredible run since the program began in 2008, reaching the playoffs in each of the past nine seasons, and serving as a model of success for the rest of the program. Now entering my 6th year as head coach, I'm beyond proud of our program's development, and I'm consistently inspired by the hard work and commitment of our student-athletes. I've been blessed with the support of two incredible assistant coaches in Sean Wilson and Darren Schmidt, who both work tirelessly in the pursuit of teaching valuable life lessons and molding respectable young men, as well as the dedication of countless other administrators, teachers, parents, and community members.
This past season, the Pride showed tremendous growth and promise. After finishing the regular season at 12-4, the team was invited to participate in both the PSAL Showcase game - in which we defeated New Dorp High School - and the Manhattan Borough Championships. The team also earned its first ever playoff victory in the PSAL "A" Division by beating the defending champs HS of Telecommunications. As of this writing, 5 of our graduating seniors from last year's team will be playing at the Junior College or Division 3 level, while two former players continue to play at the collegiate level, including former MVP Elvin Rodriguez, who currently plays at the University of Denver (Division I).
With our next season quickly approaching, the Pride is hungrier than ever and wants to make a name for themselves in New York City. Unfortunately, we continue to face the daunting prospect of "doing more with less," and the program simply does not have the budget to support our growing demands. That's where you - our #1 fans - come in.
We are looking to raise $4500 to cover the costs of 10 new basketballs, practice equipment, and entry fees for various local tournaments. Additionally, the funds will help fund our annual Martin Luther King Jr. Classic, which brings together teams from throughout the New York City area for a thrilling weekend of competition. The money we raise will provide our program with much needed materials, and, more importantly, will give our student-athletes experiences that they will never forget.
If you find yourself in the New York City area, we would love to have you at a game. Aside from getting the opportunity to see me embarrass myself on the sidelines, you also get to watch some awesome basketball. A link to our schedule can be found here . You can also check out video footage of our playoff victory here .
To my knowledge, there is no better learning experience for young people than participating on a sports team. Teamwork, commitment, and selflessness are just a few of the values that are learned through a positive athletic experience. By providing your support - whether it’s $1 or $100 - you are directly impacting the life of a young person who is seeking to better himself through sport.
Thank you in advance for your generosity and support, and GO PRIDE.
- Coach Milbrand
Organizer
Daniel Milbrand
Organizer
New York, NY