Being part of a community means being responsible for one another. When someone needs help, neighbors and friends should be there to offer a hand.
A Coach’s Role
A football coach is the one who hones the talent of the players so they will perform well during the game. However, sometimes, coaches do not just teach players the technicals of football, but they also teach them morals and practical lessons that will help them become better citizens.
Canceled Practice
On January 16, 2022, Bethel High School’s football team was supposed to have a weightlifting practice but Brian DeLallo, the school’s head football coach, canceled it due to inclement weather.
A Substitute Workout
Despite the canceled practice, coach DeLallo asked the boys to shovel the thick snow seated on their neighbors’ driveways. His post said, “Due to expected severe weather, Monday’s weightlifting workout has been canceled. Find an elderly or disabled neighbor and shovel their driveway. Don’t accept any money – that’s our Monday workout.”
A Tradition
Coach DeLallo told Fox News that this started as a tradition 20 years back. He said, “Jeff (former head coach) had always had our kids do this. Any time we had a snow day and school was canceled, he had the kids go out and shovel driveways for people in the community who were elderly or who were disabled or otherwise could not shovel their own driveways.”
The Kids Went On
A total of 40 football players and some eighth-graders participated in the activity. They got to help more than 100 homes and even continued clearing out some more sidewalks on Tuesday afternoon.
Getting Involved
Coach DeLallo stated that having the students clear the snow would be an excellent community service project in addition to being a good workout for them.
A Proud Citizen
Robert Klein, one of the residents whom the students helped, expressed his appreciation for the kids’ kind act. He said, “These young men have no idea how much something like this means to me, and it makes me so proud to live here.”
Giving Back
Another neighbor wanted to pay the students’ hard work back by pledging to donate to the school’s football program.
Watch how the football players helped the community by shoveling snow off people’s driveways in the video below.
Watch Video Here: