Marcus Benjamin @_benjaminmoney
Miami Gardens, FL – Miami Dolphin home games at Hard Rock Stadium are one way that a large number of people from the community are united from many different backgrounds and cultural differences. The franchise builds on this unity by hosting their Football Unites program for the third consecutive year. The Dolphins hold tailgates to strengthen the relationship between community leaders, youth and law enforcement before regular season home games.
The organizations participating are 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, Art Detectives, Community Justice Project, Inc., Miami Gardens Police Department, National Organization of Black Law Executives South Florida Chapter (NOBLE), North Miami Police Athletic League, North Miami Beach Police Athletic League, Pridelines, SAVE, Trayvon Martin Foundation, Urban League of Broward County and YWCA Miami. Members of the United States military branches also took part being that the Sunday game versus the New York Jets was the NFL’s Salute to Service game.
The tailgates which take place before every regular season home game feature giveaways, games, food and a live DJ with educational components designed to create dialogue and foster positive relationships and unite groups of different races, genders, sexual orientation and identities to help level the playing field in South Florida.
The tailgate initiative stems from a solution-oriented town hall hosted in the fall of 2016 by the Dolphins and the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) during which players and local leaders discussed actionable steps that could be taken to address issues of racial inequality and unite the community. Founded and created by Ross in Oct. 2015, RISE harnesses the unifying power of sports to improve race relations and drive social progress. To learn more about RISE, visit risetowin.org.
Junior Dolphins PlayFootball Awards
For each home game, the Dolphins also identify a high school coach of the week, high school player of the week, youth player of the week and team mom of the week.
The Dolphins also recognize a team of the week for their efforts in the community who will be on field during the national anthem.
The program is designed to celebrate youth football in South Florida.
Award recipients receive tickets to a Dolphins home game, be presented with a plaque on the field at Hard Rock Stadium and receive acknowledgement of their accomplishment in the game program and through the Dolphins’ social media platforms.
2018 Junior Dolphins PlayFootball Award Winners
| HS Coach of the Week | HS Player of the Week | Youth Player of the Week | Team Mom of the Week | Team of the Week | |
| Week 1 | Dave Coleman
Piper HS |
Nay’Quan Wright Miami Carol City | Keymari Robiou
Miami Xtreme 11U |
Brenda Aldana
Miami Xtreme 13U |
Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS |
| Week 3 | Nate Hudson
South Dade HS |
Nik Scalzo
Cardinal Gibbons HS |
Jamarie Hostzclaw
Weston Warriors |
Laurie Richardson
Boca Braves Peewee |
South Miami Senior HS |
| Week 6 | Brian Coe
Santaluces Community HS |
Jaylan Knighton Jr. Deerfield Beach HS | Termain Sherman
Fort Lauderdale Hurricanes Super Peewees |
Consuelo Lewis
Pompano Chiefs |
Suncoast Community HS |
| Week 7 | Benedict Hyppolite
Miami Carol City HS |
Anthony Solomon
St. Thomas Aquinas HS |
Jose Leon Jr.
Tamiami Colts |
Maria Leon
Tamiami Colts Peewees |
Dr. Michael M. Krop Sr. HS |
| Week 9 | Matt DuBuc
Cardinal Gibbons HS |
Tyler Larco
Miami Palmetto HS |
Dereion Darby
Delray Rocks 9U |
Brooke Walker
Pembroke Pines Optimist Bengals |
Dillard HS |
The Junior Dolphins program encourages youth players and coaches to learn, teach and play football in a fun and safe environment. The Junior Dolphins program is designed to give kids access to learn the fundamentals of football using the NFL’s top resources. To grow the game, the Junior Dolphins program will work to educate coaches, parents and youth on the health and safety of football with a strong emphasis on character development.
Junior Dolphins is building the next generation of Dolphins Fans.
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