Shaon Berry, Founder and CEO
Junior Rank/JuniorRank.com
After more than 18 years as a Human Resource Executive, Shaon Berry decided to merge two of his life’s passions – the desire to be entrepreneur and junior athletics. Berry, who also has a strong background in finance, operations, sales and marketing, and who played running back at the University of Pittsburgh saw the need to establish a credible authority in evaluating young athletes in grades 6 thru 12. Drawing on his academic experience from the University of Pittsburgh and Cornell University’s executive management program, Berry enlisted the help of former teammates as well as college and professional players and coaches, and formed Junior Rank in early 2009. Junior Rank is an athletic organization and on-line entity dedicated to evaluating, recognizing and rewarding great student athletes while giving parents the tools, resources and opportunities to help fulfill their son’s and daughters dreams of playing college sports. Starting with football in 2009, with plans to expand to basketball, baseball and softball in the future, Berry and his team organize junior football combines and All-Star showcase events throughout the country continuing to reinforce the importance of character, discipline and academic excellence. Berry, a father of three, has developed a customized on-line scouting (1-5 Diamond Methodology) that evaluates and ranks young athletes across the country based on their individual event performance, personal statistics, seasonal highlight videos, community service and academic standing.
His mission: Developing tomorrow’s role models today by effectively profiling, evaluating, recognizing and appropriately rewarding the nation’s top junior student athletes in every sport across the nation.
Tom Lemming
Nation’s Top Football Recruiting Analyst
Tom Lemming, a Chicago native, got his start as a stringer for suburban Chicago weeklies covering high school football games. In 1978, he began scouting football prospects, logging his findings in a newsletter he circulated to college coaches and fans alike. Tom Lemming was called “the mailman” as he delivered information about the best recruits to hundreds of college coaches and football fanatics by personally interviewing and scouting players from coast to coast. He continues his delivery by evaluating 1,200 of the top football recruits every year in his prep football tour, powered by NCSA. By traveling 50,000 miles from December through June with his tour, he diligently and tirelessly produces the Tom Lemming Prep Football Report, considered by many to be “the bible” of college football recruiting.
He joined College Sports TV (CSTV) after spending decades as the leading preps analyst for ESPN. Lemming has written for ESPN, USA Today and Sporting News and currently has his own show, “Tom Lemming’s Generation Next,” on CSTV. Lemming also assists with the annual selection process of the top football prospects to participate in the US Army All-American Bowl Game and Combine hosted in San Antonio, TX.
Today recruiters still visit his home during the May evaluation period to watch film on players from across the country. Michael Lewis, author of The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game recognized Lemming as the “only national football scout in America.” To this day, Tom Lemming remains one of the leading experts on college football recruiting and high school talent and is ready to bring his experience to JuniorRank as a Diamond Bowl Scout along with NCSA’s Football Recruiting Coordinator, Randy Taylor.
Bret Cooper
VP of Scouting and Preparatory School Recruiting
Nick-named "Coop" Bret brings with him more than 25 years of football coaching and high school scouting experience and has personally been credited for the recruiting attention and scholarships received by several dozen Division I College and Pro Athletes including, Shariff Floyd the number 1 defensive tackle in the country in 2010, now attending the University of Florida. Bret's extensive coaching and recruiting background serves as a natural fit for our parents and future college prospects. A native of Philadelphia, people across the country trust and believe in Bret because he truly cares about the growth, development and educational opportunities that can be made available, for every aspiring young athlete.
Glenn Deveaux
VP of Operations
Glenn Deveaux is the Vice President of Operations at Junior Rank Sports. Mr. Deveaux in an enthusiastic and energetic member of our team. He graduated Cum Laude from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992 and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics. He played football and was a letterman all four years of his college football career. He was an undrafted free agent in 1992 and had a short career with the Seattle Seahawks before an injury ended his professional football career. Although unable to play professionally, his love and passion for the game remained and he found other ways to nourish his love for the sport via coaching and mentoring. In 1994 Mr. Deveaux relocated to Atlanta and began a career in finance. His skills and talents were quickly recognized and he was promoted rapidly. Although he was successful in this career path, in 2001 he decided to respond to his inner yearnings to start his own business, “Mortgage Planners, Inc.” which thrived for 9 years. Mr. Deveaux brings to JuniorRank his passion for educating individuals and coaching. He is passionate about inspiring a new generation of athletes and encouraging young people to maintain academic excellence while pursuing excellence in sports. Since leaving professional football, Mr. Deveaux has consistently coached “Little League” sports teams. He has stated that coaching provides the opportunity to share with young people his love for the game and to be directly involved in developing and recognizing young talent. Mr. Deveaux’s background and experiences is a unique match to contribute to the success of JuniorRank.
Oscar Dillard
National Camp Director
Coach Oscar Dillard is recognized by coaches and athletes on all levels as the world's leading Football Camp Director. Coach Dillard is an authority on developing and mentoring youth league, high school, college and professional athletes throughout their amateur and professional playing careers. Notable alumni include Cam Newton, Jamal Lewis, Calvin Johnson, Sean Jones, Keyaron Fox, Adam "Pac Man" Jones, Ahmad Carroll, and numerous others. Coach Dillard's has been recognized by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Casa Magazine Santa Barbara, California, Gwinnett Life Magazine, Prep Star Magazine, FCA Share the Victory Magazine, Birmingham News, NFLPA, Channel 5 Sports- Retired Sports Director, Bill Hartman. Coach Dillard was mentored by several legendary and Hall Fame Coaches. Notable coaches that have mentored Coach Dillard are FSU, Bobby Bowden, NFL Great Jimmy Johnson, FSU & UGA Mark Richt and SJU Dr. Fitz Hill. Coach Dillard has over 100 football alumni that have received college football scholarships and over 20 players whom have entered the NFL AND CFL.
