As a winter storm threatened to drop several inches of snow on western Pennsylvania, a high school football team determined that canceling practice was in everyone’s best interests.
Instead of exercising weights in the weight room, Brian DeLallo, the football coach of Bethel Park High School, directed his players to “find an elderly or disabled neighbor and shovel their driveway.”
????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
“This is something that exists before me,” he explained.
DeLallo was only carrying on a tradition started by the former football coach, who educated his players about committing acts of kindness.
Thus, when six inches of snow fell in Bethel Park, the team started to work.
“They’re amazed that we’re not accepting money or doing anything for it,” junior and team captain Gavin Moul said.
According to Moul, some neighbors even denied their offer since they refused to accept any type of payment.
Giving back to the community
By the end of the day, the group had cleaned hundreds of driveways in their neighborhood.
Danny Varhola, 83, was delighted to have the young men of Bethel Park High School shovel his driveway. In the 1980s, his own son played high school football.
“I’ve been here 50 years, and these people are fantastic,” he remarked.
????I teared up doing this story!
The Bethel Park football coach told his players they weren’t doing a gym work out today — and instead instructed them to go shovel driveways for elderly neighbors.
These guys took it seriously & are on their 6th driveway ???????? @WPXI pic.twitter.com/wsZipK2kpu
— Gabriella DeLuca (@GabriellaDeLuca) January 17, 2022
“This gives you a lot more than ‘did you bench press 300 pounds today?'” This is fantastic. “It’s an opportunity to engage with the community, which is rare, so this is good,” DeLallo added.
Moul agreed
“I’m really happy about it, and I believe we all are. That not only helps them, but it also helps us become a better team.”
This is really fantastic! What a wonderful way to contribute to your community. I hope these young men got more out of this than simply a good exercise.
