HS Football Team Practices Acts of Kindness off the Field
When a winter storm dropped huge amounts of snow overnight on January 16 to 17, 2022, in western Pennsylvania, a local high school football coach canceled his players weightlifting practice. But instead of telling the team to relax and rest, the coach suggested that they get out and do acts of kindness by shoveling snow for elderly and disabled neighbors.
Coach Brian Delallo tweeted his Bethel Park players saying: “Due to the expected severe weather, Monday’s weightlifting workout has been cancelled. Find an elderly or disabled neighbor and shovel their driveway. Don’t accept any money – that’s our Monday workout.” But he never expected it to receive so much attention according to WTAE News.
Your tweet was quoted in an article by CNN US https://t.co/KmXYb9snKL
— Recite Social (@ReciteSocial) January 17, 2022
A sense of community
That’s because this shoveling workout was started by the previous football coach more than a decade ago but this was the first time it was announced via a tweet. “This is just something, one of the many traditions we have that we have kept going,” Delallo said.
“It’s about community, we talk about it in our program all the time,” he said. “This is another chance we have to go out and interact with our community in a positive way and show them that they’re important to us.”
Shoveling snow, according to the coach, is just one way for the football team to show appreciation to the community that supports them.
The players went to work
The players saw the tweet and went out to work on the more than 6 inches of snow that fell overnight, reported CBS news affiliate KDKA news. The team shoveled sidewalks and driveways around the town.
????Bethel Park
Trading the barbells ???????? for some shovels ❄️
We tagged along with the Bethel Park School District football team as they learned helping others feels better than any lifting session.
Tonight at 6 on @KDKA
See you soon! @bpsdinfo @BethelParkNews pic.twitter.com/6VZ6nZviR6
— MEGHAN SCHILLER (@MeghanKDKA) January 17, 2022
The players told KDKA that they removed snow from dozens of homes and 25 of the players texted their coach afterwards to tell them how rewarding it was.
Many of the people the team members approached were taken back that the players wouldn’t accept any payment. “They’re surprised that we’re not taking money, we’re not doing anything for it. They’re refusing us because we’re not taking money for it sometimes,” junior and team captain Gavin Moul told KDKA.
Still, “I feel great about it and think we all feel great about it,” said Moul. “It’s not only helping them, but it’s helping us to become a better team.”
One man who benefited from the team’s effort, 83-year-old Danny Varhola, whose son played for the football team, didn’t refuse the help. “I’ve been here for 50 years, and these guys are great.”
This was a chance for the team to get a workout and give back to the community by doing these acts of kindness at the same time. It was a win/win for all.
