MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins yesterday hosted the Hialeah Senior 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 Manager and alum Troy Drayton about being resilient and making the most of their opportunities. The Hialeah football team also had the opportunity to watch the Dolphins practice and meet with current players on the field. Following practice, the athletes had lunch provided by Publix.
"Watching practice, how fast paced it is, it's something that we preach at the high school level, so it's nice to come out here so the kids can see it themselves that we're actually doing what the pros are doing," Hialeah Senior High School Head Football Coach Gary Sanchez said.
"This was a great experience for us, because we got to see a lot of players who made it out of where they're from and we saw something that can help us get better," Hialeah Senior High School sophomore quarterback Jaylon Tolbert said.
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**.
