Friday night lights aren’t just for the football field. That’s because Coach Ciraco, the head varsity football coach, didn’t let the boys’ varsity football team take time off during a bye-week. Ciraco and the coaching staff knew there was only one thing that they had to do with the team–volunteer!!

Which is why it really should come as no surprise to learn that Harrison High School’s Varsity football team demonstrates empathy, courage, and pride on and off the field. During a fall Friday evening, the varsity squad gave back to the greater Harrison community by volunteering and raising awareness for Backyard Sports Cares (BSC), a non-profit program located in Westchester County that provides a sports team community for kids of all ages and abilities, at Boundless Adventures Rope Course in Purchase, New York.

Mr. Galano, the athletic director for the Harrison Central School District, is a “huge supporter of student-athletes being involved in community service.”At the beginning of each sports season, he stresses the importance of community service with coaches and emphasizes “getting [HHS] student-athletes involved in fundraising, community service, and other community events.”

Galano’s words reflect Ciraco’s decision to get the boy’s football team involved with BSC. “I wanted to provide life lessons beyond sports,” Ciraco said. He advises other sports to participate in programs like Backyard Sports Cares to teach student-athletes lessons greater than those learned on the field. “I highly encourage all teams to look for ways to connect with special needs athletes,” Ciraco said, “The lessons learned through service far outweigh any victory on the scoreboard.”

Ciraco’s purpose hit the mark with his athletes. HHS Junior and varsity football player Jacob Burack said he had a wonderful time participating in an event that supported students with special needs.  “With all the sports I have played at Harrison, I have never done anything like this,” Burack shared.  “This team-wide activity was super awesome to participate in and definitely be something I would love to do again.” Burack continued to share how this experience brought out “different character traits” within him and could do the same for “someone unfamiliar with this type of volunteer work.”

But not many people in the HHS community knew about this event. Ms. Moore, an English teacher here at HHS and a mom to a child with a disability, was happy to learn that such an event occurred for students.“It makes me really proud in both of my roles,” she said.“It is important that my daughter and my students live in a world where people move with kindness, understanding, and empathy.”

Learn more about ways to volunteer with Backyard Sports Cares (BSC) by visiting their website and their instagram account, @backyardsportscares.