06/20/2020
A special message from Coach Tim
It was once said,
“Knowledge is power”.
If we can leverage a young persons ability through a sport and put them in a position to work for an education beyond their wildest dreams that is our mission. 
In 1993, we had a vision to help those less fortunate and so began our vision.
In January of 2012, we embarked on a mission to provide a youth football program to the lower east side of New York City. Our mission was to provide a positive outlet for the young people in the area and for some, a way to a better life through our "Run to Daylight Education Program". We believe football is a lot like life. We draw from the words of the great Coach and motivator Vince Lombardi:
"It’s not what you do when you get knocked down, it is what you do after that counts in life."
We believe that our program has made a profound impact on young people’s lives.
We started our program originally in Queens and in 2012 moved to Manhattan.
Our inaugural season brought on numerous challenges: for example, we did not even have a chin strap when we initially started in January.
We reached out to our friends of the program and asked for help. By February 2012, we had enough equipment to suit over 200 Student Athletes!
This year has taught me more about the human spirit than at any other time in my life. I met numerous young people from the shelter that was just two blocks away from our home field. If you ever need a dose of gratitude, come down and watch numerous kids in our summer workouts, who do not know where their next meal will come from.
There is a certain bond that these young men shared among one another because of the circumstances from where they came. They had nothing but each other, and that led to a camaraderie and friendship that will last a life time.
We visited several Prep Schools this year. Our first visit was Loomis Chaffee where the boys were able to tour the school and play a game. This visit was followed by visits to Choate Rosemary Hall and Berkshire Academy. Our boys were able to tour the schools and some eventually applied for admission through our "Run to Daylight Education Program." One of the most moving moments of the year came the night before we were leaving for Loomis Chaffee.
We would make the boys wear collared shirts, dress pants, and shoes for every school visit we went on. We wanted the boys to feel like it was college game, where the team is required to dress appropriately when visiting their opponents.
I was approached by one of our players, a 14 year old young man. He had an embarrassed look in his eyes and a heavy heart as he approached me. He then began to whisper to me, "Coach I do not have a pair of shoes." My heart sank to my knees. I put my hand on his shoulder and told him, "Do not worry son, I will get you a pair of shoes." I went home and took out the best pair of shoes I owned. I returned the next day and handed them to the young man.
I gave him the shoes in front of the shelter where he lived, away from anyone’s sight so he did not have to feel that he was less than anyone because of his circumstances.
It was moments like these that made up our season. It wasn’t the fact we made the playoffs in our first year; it wasn’t the fact we played against and beat teams that had been together for decades; it wasn’t the fact our staff was given the COACH of the Year Award.
We feel that this is the beginning of a lesson that will teach these young people how to empower themselves and work for what they want in their lives.
We believe we are using football as a vehicle to better these young people. We constantly emphasize grades, discipline, selflessness and doing something nice for someone else every day but not telling anyone about it.
This season was one of the greatest years for our coaching staff and we look forward to 2013, as we build a lasting, life changing program on the lower east side in Manhattan for these young people.
