Miami Dolphins Academy hosted nearly 30 events this summer, including football and cheer camps and clinics, Girls Flag Football League, Nike 11-ON and more, impacting over 4,500 people in the South Florida community and in Brazil.
The summer started early with the Miami Dolphins rookie class hosting more than 50 Special Olympics Florida athletes at the Baptist Health Training Complex on May 21. Athletes divided into six teams and Dolphins rookies split duties between coaching the teams and officiating the games. This was the first in a series of events designed to engage the incoming rookie class with the South Florida Community.
Over the course of June, July and August, eight Miami Dolphins players attended events at the Baptist Health Training Complex, including DT Jordan Phillips, RB Ollie Gordon II, DE Josh Uche, CB Ethan Bonner, DT Kenneth Grant, and LB Kyle Louis. Miami Dolphins alumni Oronde Gadsden, Lamar Thomas and Durval Queiroz Neto also met with participants at summer camp, tackle football high school media day and flag football clinics in Brazil respectively.
June kicked off with a month-long Girls Flag Summer League presented by Space Coast Credit Union (SCCU) hosted at the Baptist Health Training Complex, where student-athletes were invited to participate in the competitive season, which led to the playoffs and championship event. From June 9 through July 8, nearly 600 high school student-athletes from across South Florida took part in the league focused on athletic growth and development. The River Sharks won the Girls Flag Football Championship with Summer Set Apex finishing runner-up.
Alongside the Girls Flag Football Summer League, the Miami Dolphins Academy also hosted football and cheer camps at the Baptist Health Training Complex starting June 16. The four-day camp encouraged kids to stay active during the summer break while learning flag football skills, cheer techniques and building leadership foundations. The camps were led by Miami Dolphins Academy coaches and Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders, with surprise appearances from select Dolphins players.
After the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup, Miami Dolphins Academy hosted the 2026 Boys Nike 11-ON tournament which welcomed eight elite football teams across South Florida. The tournament focused on fundamental skill-building, training and character development. After several rounds of games and competitive playoffs, North Miami was named winner of the tournament.
As part of Miami Dolphins Academy's mission to grow the game of football, summer clinics expanded beyond South Florida, with clinics for youth athletes and coaches taking place in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The flag football clinics welcomed more than 900 local kids and nearly 90 coaches to learn the fundamentals of playing and coaching the sport while providing resources to help grow flag football within their communities.
On August 15, Miami Dolphins Academy wrapped an incredible summer with the 11th annual Tackle Football High School Media Day presented by Gatorade Water at Hard Rock Stadium. The Miami Dolphins welcomed 100 high school football teams from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, totaling more than 1,000 student-athletes and 200 coaches, including 2025 National Football Coach of the Year, Roger Harriott, of St. Thomas Aquinas and 2025 Miami Dolphins Coach of the Year, McArthur Mustangs' Robert Ortega. Previous Coach of the Year recipients in attendance included 2024 McArthur's Robert Ortega, 2023 Miami Norland's Daryle Heidelberg and 2022 Miami Central's Jube Joseph.
The professional Media Day experience gave student-athletes the opportunity to learn about the NCAA recruitment process, NIL and mental health resources. Players and coaches also took professional headshots and participated in interviews with media on formal press conference stages as part of a day designed to celebrate, educate and inspire the next generation of South Florida's football talent.
With a commitment to athlete and coach development, resource donations and off-field education, Miami Dolphins Academy creates a fun, safe and inclusive environment that brings communities together to teach, learn and play football. As stewards of the game, the Miami Dolphins Academy is committed to supporting student-athletes, empowering young women and promoting the growth of flag football, while also providing resources to expand the sport internationally through annual clinics in Spain, Brazil and Mexico. These efforts continue to grow the game while building the next generation of athletes, coaches, leaders and Dolphins fans.
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