Discussing youth league football roots during Miami Dolphins’ South Florida High School Media Day

The Miami Dolphins held their third annual South Florida High School Football Media Day on Saturday, Aug. 8 inside the Don Taft Arena on the campus of Nova Southeastern University in Davie.

The event was open to all high schools in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, featuring more than 100 teams.

“The event gave these high school kids an opportunity to speak in front of a camera to members of the media. The ability to speak to the media is about being comfortable and confident,” Miami Dolphins Youth Programs Manager Troy Drayton said. “We wanted to provide a platform and opportunity to give our local students as much practice as possible to communicate on a big stage.”

Teams that represented Miami-Dade County were American Senior, Archbishop Carroll, Belen Jesuit, Booker T. Washington, Braddock, Champagnat Catholic, Columbus, Coral Gables, Dr. Michael M. Krop, Felix Varela, Ferguson, Florida Christian, Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Hialeah Miami Lakes, Homestead, Immaculata-La Salle High School, Keys Gate, Mater Academy, Miami Beach, Miami Carol City, Miami Central, Miami Edison, Miami High, Miami Jackson, Miami Norland, Miami Palmetto, Miami Southwest, Miami Springs, Mourning, North Miami, Ronald Reagen, SJB Academy, South Miami and Westland Hialeah.

“This is my first time participating in this event, and I thought it was a first class production,” Archbishop Carroll head coach Larry Moyer said. “We only have 18 kids on varsity right now. These guys are trying to resurrect the program and giving them a taste of what it feels like to be an NFL player for a day with the media is very rewarding.”

From Broward County, teams represented were American Heritage, Archbishop McCarthy, Blanche Ely, Calvary Christian, Cardinal Gibbons, Chaminade-Madonna, Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Coral Glades, Coral Springs, Cypress Bay, Deerfield Beach, Dillard, Everglades, Flanagan, Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood Hills, International School of Broward, J.P. Taravella, McArthur, Miramar, Monarch, North Broward, Northeast, Nova, Pine Crest, Pines Charter, Piper, Plantation, Pompano Beach, Somerset Academy, South Broward, South Plantation, St. Thomas, Stoneman Douglas, Stranahan, University School, Western, Westminster and Westminster Academy.

Each team was able to bring up to five players to meet with the different media outlets. They took head shots, team photos as well as conducted a five-minute press conference. After the teams made their rounds, each media outlet was able to conduct their own private session with the athletes and coaches. There were nearly two dozen outlets that came to cover the event and conduct interviews.

From Palm Beach County, teams represented were American Heritage Delray, Atlantic, Berean Christian, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Cardinal Newman, John I. Leonard, Jupiter, Lake Worth, Oxbridge Academy, Pahokee, Park Vista, Pope John Paul II, Royal Palm Beach, Santaluces, Seminole Ridge, Spanish River, St. Andrews, Suncoast, Village Academy, Wellington, West Boca and William T. Dwyer.

“The first two years we did this event at the stadium, but due to the renovations, we had to change our venue,” Drayton said. “The job that Vor Akers and the entire staff of NSU did was amazing. They couldn’t have been more accommodating, and we are very grateful.”

Youth league roots

South Florida features plenty of high school football talent, some of the best in the nation, and more than 100 high school football teams from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties were represented at the South Florida High School Football Media Day, hosted by the Miami Dolphins on Saturday, Aug. 8 at the Don Taft Arena at Nova Southeastern University in Davie.

Nearly all the high school players at the day-long press conference/media event competed in youth football (AYFL, FYFL, Miami Xtreme, NYFL, Pop Warner, SFYFL, WCFL) growing up in South Florida

Players and coaches answered many questions including the fun and importance of youth league football, preparing them for football on the high school gridiron. They each noted their youth league team, taking pride in that park/program.

Below are some video interviews of players and coaches talking youth league football.

YouTube jim varsallone (jimmyv3 channel)

This story was originally published August 12, 2015 at 1:28 AM with the headline "Discussing youth league football roots during Miami Dolphins’ South Florida High School Media Day."