Edgartown athlete selected for international competition

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Carol Meikle likes to call her son the miracle child. Geovane Meikle was never supposed to come into the world, after all. And now, at age 17, he’s been selected to participate in an international basketball tournament held across Europe this upcoming summer.

“I’m extremely proud of him,” Carol Meikle says of her son. “He eats, sleeps, and drinks basketball.”

Geovane, or Geo for short, is representing the U.S. in the United World Games. He’s been chosen by national organization Student Athlete World to participate with athletes from across the country to compete in his age group against international competition. He’ll be playing in games in Germany, Austria, and Italy. 

“It feels great,” Geovane said, looking forward to the tournament. “It feels amazing. I get to represent my school, my Island, and my country.”

Student Athlete World selects players based on their experience in tournament play and travel teams, as well as reviewing academic achievements. The selection required an interview, as well as references, which for Geovane included Oak Bluffs Police Chief Jonathan Searle. Geovane worked in the department over the summer as a community service officer.

Geovane has been a prominent athlete on the Vineyard, especially on the basketball court. He’s also played football, volleyball, and baseball on the Island. He currently hoops with a traveling Amateur Athletic Union team — commonly known as AAU. And through the team, he was able to receive a scholarship to attend Lexington Christian Academy, where he currently attends and plays as a forward. 

Despite his achievements, Carol Meikle says that her son has always stayed humble, and has always been a hard worker through difficult times. 

In a recent interview, she said that she and her now husband, Ronald Meikle, originally lived in Jamaica. After giving birth to her first son, Tommy, she was told that she would never give birth again because of a rare blood type. 

Soon after, about 20 years ago, Carol Meikle moved to the Vineyard to work at the Harbor View Hotel. Eventually, Ronald joined her from Jamaica to work security. And years after doctors told her she wouldn’t have kids again, Geovane came along, and was born on the Island. 

But from his birth, there were complications. Doctors feared that he wouldn’t live long because he struggled with breathing. His mother said that they were in and out of the emergency room. Through what she described as divine intervention after a prayer from a hospital chaplain at Children’s Hospital, the blockage that Geo was experiencing was cleared, and his breathing improved.

Then, growing up on the Island, Geovane attended Edgartown School, where he had to overcome more adversity. Geo was quite tall for his age, and was bulky (he’s 6 feet, 5 inches, now). Carol said that Geo was picked on by other kids because of his size. And she says that there was also a racial component to the bullying.

But Carol says Geo never quit: “He didn’t let it get him down. He kept working.” She says that hard work has gotten him to where he is today.

A big help for Geo along his path have been his coaches at the Edgartown School, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and an Island travel team, especially coaches Mike deBettencourt, Chip Story, and Chris Porterfield. The three helped Geo connect with his AAU basketball coach, Courtney Sims, who is a former NBA player. Sims was able to connect Geo to Lexington Academy.

Geo says that he’d eventually like to play professional basketball. Asked what keeps him going and working harder, he said that he just really enjoys the game of basketball. To his humble nature, he said that he wants to go pro so that he can take care of his parents.

The Meikle family is planning to travel with their son for the international tournament, and are accepting contributions from the community to help. You can email the family at orinthiacbrown34@hotmail.com.

The Meikles are a religious family, and Carol says that God must have a plan for Geo, as he overcame so much. “I’m so proud of Geo. All the struggles that I’ve watched Geovane face, he never quits or gives up,” Carol Meikle says. “As a parent, he reminds me that he doesn’t care what people say or do. He just works hard.”