JASON COLERO
Toronto Argonauts Manager, Community Relations
Jason Colero started as a water boy and now, 26 years later, he’s the heart and soul of Argos’ community outreach programs. The friendly and energetic Manager of Community Relations now educates youth through a myriad of programs he leads throughout the GTA.
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As I sat on a plane headed to Vancouver, B.C. for the annual Canadian Football League meetings last week, I was excited at the prospect of being a part of the community relations discussions amongst the seven other teams in our league. There was one whole meeting dedicated to the topic of community relations and I was asked to make a small presentation to my peers about Huddle-Up.
As I mulled over my presentation, I thought about all of the wonderful recognition the Argos have received since the inception of the Huddle-Up Bullying Prevention Program over 10 years ago. More importantly, I thought about the lives we have impacted. Based on feedback, I knew that we were making headway with Huddle-Up in and around Toronto; the initiative has been life changing for students and players alike. Then my mind wondered, and I began to think about how other teams were improving their local communities, as well as the programs they were running.
While sitting in meetings it was interesting to see how, across our league, we have all focused on the wellbeing of youth. The variety of programs I learned about ranged from health & wellness to education-oriented programs. Generally, every team was working to make a difference in youth from ages 8-18. Sure, we work in separate cities, but I like to believe our collective influences make a big difference across the country.
Here in Toronto, I knew that after the first few Huddle-Up assemblies in 2011 we had received feedback from teachers and parents proclaiming that their son or daughter had already made note of our messages and started to make a difference in their behaviour. From one school, we heard that the student-led leadership committee we formed as part of the program (made up of students that haven’t made attending classes their top priority) had already begun to embrace their efforts with the program and taken ownership over their choices. Now they attend more classes than they ever have before.
After attending those meetings with my colleagues across the CFL, it would have been foolish of me to arrive and assume that our team was the only one making a difference in the lives of youth. Now, I can honestly say that I am proud to be a part of a league that makes community outreach such a priority in each of its member cities. For that reason, I’m willing to forego our on-field rivalries and tip my hat to every team that has made a difference in the lives of their fans and youth in Canada. Perhaps most inspiring for me was that the teams invest in these programs and ask for so little in return.
I am truly hoping that fans from across the league might read this blog and be able to share how programs have changed their lives, including our programs. Email me at jcolero@argonauts.ca and I will talk about your stories in my next blog.
Until then, make your passion your life and no one can take that away.
– Jason