Miami Dolphins Announce Week Two Youth Programs Awards With Partner Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE)
Download PDF version
Sept. 14, 2016
Miami Dolphins Announce Week Two Youth Programs Awards With Partner Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE)
Miami – The Miami Dolphins and the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) recognize the week two youth football players, coaches and parent who have demonstrated their commitment to being leaders on and off the field:
- High School Player of the Week: Renaldo Flowers Jr. is a senior DT at Miami Jackson High School. He was instrumental in his team’s 12-9 victory over Miami Booker T. Washington HS who ranks as the #2 team in the country. Flowers Jr. recorded nine tackles, two fumble recoveries and had two QB hurries. One of the hurries influenced the game-winning interception that helped seal his team’s victory.
- High School Coach of the Week: Lakatriona Brunson is the head coach at Miami Jackson High School. She was hired as first female head coach in Florida high school football. Last weekend Brunson lead her team to a 12-9 victory over Miami Booker T. Washington High School.
- Youth Player of the Week: Taron “Tyger” Dickens from the American Youth Football League. He plays QB for the Miramar Wolverines 12U. The Wolverines beat the West Pines Pembroke Pines Panthers with Dickens 10 of 17 for 184 yards and two touchdowns. He threw for two touchdowns in last Saturday’s 12-7 victory over the Panthers. Dickens has thrown for 16 touchdowns prior to Saturday’s game. Dickens’ Wolverines 12U championship team defeated Team No Huddle 37-14 in this year’s Miami Dolphins Youth 7on 7.
- Team Mom of the Week: Gina Brooks from the Greater Miami South Florida Pop Warner. Brooks is the team mom for the Miami Youth Hurricanes Peewees. She is a wife and mother of three children and the engine that helps her team run smoothly. The one thing that stands out about Brooks is how she continues to emphasis education, obedience, respect and the importance of family (team). She is most proud that her team does not have any academic waivers. Simply put – she has a team full of good students with good grades and school attendance.
Each award recipient will be presented with a plaque on the field during the Sept. 25 Dolphins home game at Hard Rock Stadium against the Cleveland Browns, and receive acknowledgement of their accomplishment in the game program and through the Dolphins’ and RISE’s social media platforms. They also will receive a pair of tickets to a Miami Dolphins home game and a Dolphins/RISE T-shirt.
As a newly added component of the program and part of the Dolphins/RISE partnership, winners will be empowered to make a difference by participating in a RISE training program where they will learn how to use the unifying power of sport to promote the importance and benefits of unity, equality and inclusiveness as well as address racial tensions their teams, schools and communities might experience.
Awardees also will be encouraged to take a pledge, committing to stand up to racial inequality and share how they plan to affect change by creating a “How I RISE” video message, which will be posted on RISEtoWIN.org.
About Miami Dolphins Youth Programs
The Miami Dolphins Youth Programs’ mission is to emphasize the importance of education, physical fitness and positive choices for kids in a safe and fun environment. The Miami Dolphins Youth Programs’ vision is to prepare the next generation of leaders in staying physically active through our Junior Training Camps (JTC), Youth Football Clinics and Youth Football Camps. The goal is to promote Youth Football in the South Florida community.
About the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE)
Founded in 2015 by Stephen M. Ross, the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to harnessing the unifying power of sport to advance race relations and drive social progress. Supported by an unprecedented alliance of sports leagues, organizations, educators, media networks, sports professionals and athletes, RISE uses sport as a vehicle to promote understanding, respect and equality. Through public awareness campaigns and educational programming, RISE aims to spark enduring action. To learn more, visit RISEtoWIN.org.
