Miami Dolphins Press Release

Miami Gardens, FL – The Miami Dolphins training camp yesterday hosted the True North Classical Academy and Boca Braves and Deerfield Packer Rattlers of Gold Coast Pop Warner. The teams were given a tour of the Baptist Health Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University and received a character talk from Miami Dolphins Vice Chairman, President & CEO Tom Garfinkel.

The teams also had the opportunity to watch the Dolphins practice and meet with current players on the field. Following practice, the Braves and Packer Rattlers scrimmaged on the Dolphins’ field with an athletic trainer provided by the Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute’s Youth Athletic Outreach Program.

“We’re a young football team and we had a chance to watch the guys who know how to practice, the tempo of practice, watching them get to drill. That’s one of the things for us is to learn how to practice well and watching how fast and efficient they do that,” True North Classical Academy Head Football Coach, Greg Laffere said. “It adds a lot of excitement to the start of our season to come here. I don’t know of any other place that does this and I think it’s great outreach for the community.”

“You get to see what it is the pros do at your position and you get to see different techniques and how it looks,” True North Classical Academy freshman wide receiver Jon Jon Delgado said. “Seeing how they cover and different guys react to different things, it’s nice to soak in. 

“They’re just excited to see pros and hopefully get close to them and touch them and maybe get a signature. They want to see what this atmosphere is and what football life is about,” Deerfield Packer Rattler President Tyrone Philpart said. “Having an athletic training for the scrimmage is very important for the safety of our kids, and it shows that the community is there supporting our kids as much as the parents in this organization. We’re excited about them and we appreciate Baptist Health for that.”

“The thing that I’m hoping for the kids take away is the memory, with them being 10 and 11, and holding onto this memory to be able to tell their kids how they had an opportunity to come watch the Dolphins play at a practice facility and having an opportunity to touch a professional football field,” Boca Braves Head Coach Mark Sainmervil said.

As part of the Miami Dolphins’ commitment to the development of high school and youth football, the organization will host high school teams from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties at the team’s training camp 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.