MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – To kick off the return of football season in South Florida, the Miami Dolphins surprised three high school varsity football teams in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties with new equipment over the past month as part of the Junior Dolphins Fall Donations presented by Baptist Health, including cobranded Dolphins-Baptist Health gear, cleats and training sneakers for student athletes.
"We're extremely proud to be able to have a positive impact on the youth sports community through our partnership with the Miami Dolphins," said Javier Hernandez-Lichtl, CEO Baptist Health's Doctors Hospital and Baptist Health Orthopedic Institute. "Every year, the Junior Dolphins Donation program allows our organization to bring unique experiences and custom football gear to select high schools across the South Florida area. We look forward to continuing serving our great community alongside the Miami Dolphins on and off the field."
The series kicked off at American Senior High School as the Junior Dolphins program surprised the boys' varsity football team with donated football equipment including defensive blocking sleds, football pads and training sneakers on Tuesday, Aug. 22. Miami Dolphins and Baptist Health representatives engaged with student athletes and discussed the importance of injury prevention.
In September, the Junior Dolphins surprised the Lake Worth Community High School boys' football team with Dolphins gear, a zone football lineman chute apparatus and football equipment on Thursday, Sept. 7.
The Dolphins concluded the series at South Dade Senior High School where the Junior Dolphins surprised the varsity boys football team with guardian helmets and Titan tackle dummies on Tuesday, Sept. 12. Student athletes also received cleats and training sneakers.
"We're extremely grateful for our partnership with Baptist Health as it is fundamental to the impact we strive to make in supporting high school football in South Florida and its student athletes," said Miami Dolphins Vice President of Community Affairs Kim Miller. "This year's donations focused on providing athletes with adequate training equipment and sneakers, in order to elevate training and promote injury prevention."
To date, the program has engaged with more than 15,000 high school football student athletes throughout South Florida in an effort to support and empower the local athletes while expanding the sport of football.
The Junior Dolphins program encourages youth players and coaches to teach, learn and play football in a fun and safe environment. As stewards of the game, Junior Dolphins strive to grow participation in the game, impact the football community and build the next generation of Dolphins fans. Through strong community partnerships and strategic resource distribution, all aspects of the Junior Dolphins program work to emphasize character building to increase the overall experience in youth football.
