WALTHAM – From the first day he was introduced as the next head coach of the Patriots, Mike Vrabel has preached culture, community and great decisions.
What’s the easiest way to get guys to buy in and listen? Lead from the front.
That’s exactly what Vrabel is doing.
Early on Saturday morning at the Gann Academy in Waltham, Vrabel spent about two hours taking dozens and dozens of photos, singing autographs, interacting with kids and putting smiles on athletes’ faces at a Special Olympics Field Day hosted by the city’s Disabled Services Commission, Opportunities for Inclusion, the rec and police departments and a few other volunteers and sponsors.
Waltham High School cheerleaders were also volunteering at different stations with both the school’s Hawk mascot and the Bentley Falcons’ mascot helping out and posing for pictures as well.
Community service in the NFL is nothing new of course, but seeing a head coach practicing what he’s preaching when it easily could have been a rookie or another player representing the organization – as it often is at these events – that’s another level of commitment to your message.
“I think it’s important. I think any chance that I can have personally to spend with Special Olympians, I learn a lot,” Vrabel told NEFJ after the day’s festivities. “I learn a lot about their passion and the way they are as teammates, their encouragement for each other, that’s the most important thing and that’s what I enjoy watching and I like having fun.”
Is this going to help New England win more than four games this season? Obviously not, but Vrabel is making it a lot easier for guys to fall in line – especially off the field – when he’s out there giving his time in the community instead of passing the buck off to a fringe roster player or a new draftee just getting his feet wet in the community service scene.
There’s also a concentrated effort to make sure guys are working with groups that they’re passionate about. In this case, Vrabel’s involvement with Special Olympics event is just one of many things he and the team plan on being involved with. No matter who the head coach is, the Patriots have been at the forefront in the NFL when it comes to devoting time to numerous causes.
“We want to do a lot in the community,” Vrabel added when asked if he feels like this sort of ‘sets the tone’ for the rest of the guys off the field. “We want to find out what each individual player or coach is interested in and support that. Again, I think that’s why everyone kind of has something different that they like to give their time to.
“We try to identify those. (Director of Community Relations & the Patriots Foundation) Donna (Spigarolo) tries to identify those and then we try to do our best to support them anyway we can.”
