Former Globetrotter Coaches Jacksonville Senior Team

An 82-year-old former basketball star leads a team of residents at The Fountains at Mill Cove.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Basketball

Expressive editorial sports illustration depicting gestural basketball figures in navy and orange uniforms on a court, capturing dynamic movement. — Rudy Thomas, a former Harlem Globetrotter, has launched a basketball team for senior residents at The Fountains at Mill Cove in Jacksonville. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Rudy Thomas, an 82-year-old former Harlem Globetrotter, has formed a basketball team called Senior Moments at The Fountains at Mill Cove. The team consists of 18 senior residents who now practice twice a week in the community multi-use room.

Why it matters

Thomas established the team to provide residents with an alternative to traditional activities like bingo. He aimed to build a supportive culture and create a renewed sense of purpose for his fellow seniors through the sport.

The team roster features 18 players coached by 82-year-old Rudy Thomas, who stands 6-foot-7. During his professional career in the 1970s, Thomas played 200 nights per year with the Harlem Globetrotters.

The players

Rudy Thomas

He is an 82-year-old former Harlem Globetrotter who now resides in a Jacksonville senior community.

Florida Health Care Association

This organization represents long-term health care providers and presented the 2026 Resident of the Year award.

The details

To facilitate the program, staff purchased an adjustable basketball hoop and balls from Amazon for the community. The Senior Moments practice sessions are held every Wednesday and Friday.

Rudy Thomas played for the Harlem Globetrotters during the 1970s.
Thomas retired from his professional career in 2012.
Thomas received the Joe Negron Resident of the Year award in 2026.

Season Trajectory

This initiative follows a pattern established by past recipients of the Joe Negron Resident of the Year award in promoting active living. It shifts the local community culture by prioritizing athletic engagement over traditional sedentary senior activities.

The program provides a consistent twice-weekly exercise routine for the 18 participants involved in Senior Moments. Residents at the community now have access to a structured physical activity that replaces previous sedentary options like bingo.

The takeaway

Engaging in team sports like basketball can provide significant social and physical benefits for seniors. Residents looking to increase their activity levels can look to similar communal projects to foster connection and purpose.