Miami Dolphins Safety Steven Parker Gives Back To Oklahoma Community Through Work With Man UP Program
(CBS Miami)- Miami Dolphins safety Steven Parker is entering his second season with the team and third year in the NFL. While the coronavirus pandemic has changed the offseason in ways previously unforeseen, it hasn't stopped him from working to help youths in the Oklahoma City community.
Parker has been working with Man UP, a local program started by Lt. Wayland Cubit and Sgt. Tony Escobar of the Oklahoma City Police Department as part of the Family Awareness and Community Teamwork (FACT) program. FACT is a gang prevention program that aims to help youth fight against the pressures of gangs and instill good character traits and life skills. With Man UP, officers Cubit and Escobar take about 20 teenagers on a retreat to further help instill those values and also hear from mentors.
For Parker, the initiative is close to his heart because while he never got involved in that type of lifestyle, he knows people who did.
"It's about giving kids another chance, another opportunity to see a different way, a different path," said Parker. "They didn't take the right path to begin with, so this is sort of their last chance. That's why it's so big because I can inspire those kids to do better and to be better because, they they feel like there's only one option, and that one option is down that road. With the Man UP program, we're trying to build them up. For me, if I can share some of my stories and share some of the hard times and some of the good times, you can help them kind of see both cases and see that there is a better way. The Man Up program something that I really really love."
While the retreat itself isn't exactly possible amid the current pandemic, Parker says he's still been able to connect with the kids via phone conversations in smaller groups to attempt to provide that same level of mentorship. His hope, when the current crisis passes, is to get even more involved with the retreat and going to speak to them in person.
In the meantime, it is still his second offseason in the NFL though, and quite different than the one between his rookie and sophomore season. However, the social distancing guidelines haven't changed his offseason routine too much. He's still been able to work with the same trainer and get plenty of cardio in although it takes some creativity.
"Sometimes it's really just about just getting to some kind of grass area, somewhere I can do a little bit of my DB drills and footwork to get the feel of it," said Parker.
Outside of training, he has been, like all of us, watching Netflix. But, he has also taken this time to do something he has found hugely beneficial: reconnect with people he missed out on talking to the last couple of years amid his transition to the league.
"Something that I've really taken advantage of, is just being able to talk on the phone and be able to reflect with some of those who I just haven't had the opportunity to talk with," said Parker. "It's been good to be able to reconnect with some of those people who I haven't reflected with in a while just because we both are going forward with with our jobs and everything of that nature. I've done a great job of also trying to go back to those people who helped me out throughout the journey"
The reflection time has been helpful for Parker who seems calm and clear-headed about what his approach to the upcoming NFL season will be. Recognizing that he has to continue to grow each year as a professional, Parker says his main goal for the upcoming year is to play and work with more urgency than he ever has before. Like anybody, there are days when he wakes up feeling unmotivated or sluggish. So for him, it's about finding that motivation each day to work with that urgency, something that he says this time away from everything right now has allowed him to zero in on further.
His best tip for finding that motivation? It's a simple one. Make your bed each day.
"One thing that I've always done is make my bed. It is so small, but it takes like two minutes," said Parker. "These days I make up my bed each and every day and I'm making it perfect just because whenever I workout and I come back I know that I haven't taken this day for granted. That's the best way to put it. This day's valuable and rather than counting time down I'm making this time count."
That precision, Parker admits comes from the military background of his family with both his mother and father having served. It's that focus and continued motivation that he believes will help him as he enters year two with what is sure to be a new look Dolphins team.
The organization added some big names in free agency (Byron Jones, Kyle Van Noy, Shaq Lawson just to name a few) and the acquisitions won't stop there. The team has another 14 picks in Thursday's NFL Draft to further stock the roster. Even prior to seeing what the incoming class looks like, Parker is already excited.
"I'm very excited with the new guys that we got coming in. I believe that once we are all together, and we're able to form and be able to piece the mold together I think that this is gonna be a great team," said Parker. "I believe that this team is very special. If we want to make it special. So, with everything being said, it makes us that much more ready to get in the room with each other."
Unfortunately for Parker, the new acquisitions and second-year head coach Brian Flores, and the team can't get in a room together right now. Organized team activities and other offseason programs are being conducted virtually until public health officials deem it safe for groups to get back together again. Parker knows that the lack of time together is likely to affect the season. But, he's confident with the way that guys have been finding ways to communicate that the team will be ready to go once the season comes.