Miami Dolphins announce Week Four Youth Programs Awards with Partner Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE)

Miami Dolphins announce Week Four Youth Programs Awards with Partner Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE)

MD Youth Program Coordinator Lousaka Polite, Officer Sheena Whorley Miami Edison Sr. HS QB Malcom Vigille, Miami Edison Sr. HS Head Coach Joseph Napol.

Team Mom of the Week Laura Pita.

Lousaka Polite & Miami Edison HS QB Roland Smith.

      MIAMI, FL  – The Miami Dolphins and the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) recognize the week four youth football players, coach and parent who have demonstrated their commitment to being leaders on and off the field:

• High School Player of the Week: Malcom Vigille is a senior QB at Miami Edison Senior High School. Vigille completed 13-of-17 passes for an astounding 455 yards and five touchdowns in the win over Braddock High School last Friday.  His team is currently undefeated with a 5-0 record.
• High School Coach of the Week: Roland Smith from Miami Central Senior High School. The Rockets are currently 5-0 and are ranked No. 23 in the country in USA Today’s Super 25 Poll. This impressive record and ranking are coupled with the team’s four-consecutive state championships and appearance in the last five state championship contests. These

are both state records.

• Youth Player of the Week: Carson Haggard from the Miami Xtreme Youth Football League. Carson plays quarterback for the Suniland Sundevil 12U team. Carson completed 12-of-15 passes for 225 yards and four touchdowns in a 40-6 victory over the Kendall Hammocks Warriors last week.
• Team Mom of the Week: Laura Pita from the Cooper City Cowboys of the American Youth Football League. Laura is the team mom for the 11U football team. She has four boys in her household along with over 25 adopted sons. Laura organizes over 25 sets of parents for game-day duties, including who brings pre- and post-game drinks and who will work the chain crew for each game. Laura never leaves home without her “Mary Poppins” bag that includes extra mouth pieces, chin straps, knee pads, practice pants and jerseys. She also is an avid runner and does everything with a smile on her face.

On Wednesday, several members of the Miami-Dade Police Department were on hand to present the awards to High School Player of the Week Malcom Vigille and High School Coach of the Week Roland Smith. Sergeant Delontay Du-mas, Officer Bryan Reyes and Officer Sheena Whorley visited Miami Edison Senior High School and Officer David Delgado, Officer Bryan Reyes and Commander Deanna Fox-Williams were present at Miami Central Senior High School.

Each award recipient will be presented with a plaque on the field during the Oct. 9 Dolphins home game at Hard Rock Stadium against the Tennessee Titans, 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.