MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins today hosted the Everglades High School football team at their Organized Team Activity (OTA) practice. The team was given a tour of the Baptist Health Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University and heard from Miami Dolphins Youth Programs Ambassador and Dolphins alum Twan Russell about the dedication and commitment needed to achieve their goals.
"Some of these kids never would've had this experience if we weren't invited. It was awesome to see the Dolphins practice, see their structure, their work ethic and how they move around the field," Everglades High School Head Football Coach Rodney Rumph said. "Hopefully, that'll motivate these kids in the future to work like that seeing what they have to get to."
"It was great to have the opportunity to come out here. It showed us new ways to practice and to be more disciplined," Everglades High School said sophomore running back Kelly Loiseau. "The explosiveness of the running backs and the work ethic they had also stood out to me."
As part of the Miami Dolphins' commitment to the development of high school and youth football, the team will host high school teams from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties at the team's offseason practices. The team visits are a targeted effort to recognize, inspire and increase football participation through personal connections centered on the positive character building aspects of playing the game.
The Junior Dolphins program encourages youth players and coaches to teach, learn and play football in a fun and safe environment. The Junior Dolphins program is designed to give kids access to learn the fundamentals of football using the NFL's top resources. To grow the game, the Junior Dolphins program will work to educate coaches, parents and youth on the health and safety of football with a strong emphasis on character development. Junior Dolphins is building the next generation of Dolphins Fans.
This event is one of the DolphinsHuddlefor100 service projects as part of the NFL's 100th celebration. The NFL has invited fans, players, clubs and employees to join Huddle for 100, an effort to inspire 1 million people to volunteer 100 minutes of their time to make meaningful contributions to their communities. These activities connect to the Miami Dolphins "Teamwork at Work" initiative to level the playing field through the power of teamwork to inspire a healthier, more educated and united South Florida community. For more information on the NFL Huddle and to see volunteer opportunities with the Dolphins, visit **https://www.miamidolphins.com/community/specialteams**.
