Life as an NFL Family Services & Football Engagement Coordinator | Do Your Job

Life as an NFL Family Services & Football Engagement Coordinator | Do Your Job

Out of every organization I’ve been with, this is the best job. Oh, thank you. You’re the best. No, you killed it. My name is Hie Ross and I am the family services and football engagement coordinator for the New England Patriots. My role here at the Patriots is it’s a growing position across the league. It was focused on family services like originally, which is taking care of the families of players, coaches, and all of football staff. Just making sure that they have a direct line of communication. they have all the information that they need and also a really fun part about that is like planning events for the team or planning events for the families. Hi, they combined it here with player engagement. So, not only do I take care of the families, I also take care of all like the players, coaches, and staff. There’s uh two other people a part of the team. So, Richie Armond and James Mitchell. We all make a player engagement. Honestly, they’re the absolute best. I do really like coming to practice. And I also like football, so it’s nice to be able to watch from over here. I’m from New England. I grew up in Massachusetts. I fell in love with football because of my brother, cuz my brother played football. Me and my brother went to the same college and he played college football. So then I was so invested in that and with him and I just like enjoyed the atmosphere of football. I loved everything about it. And then as soon as his football ended, I felt lost and I was like, “Oh my goodness, like I need to get football back.” And that’s how I knew that I was going to work in the NFL and I was going to be with the team. I don’t know how I’m going to get there, but I’m going to get there. The time I actually really was able to start working for sports teams was my M’s program at Boston College and I started working for their football team. And then I also was with the Bruins and then after the Bruins, I came here. It it can be scary coming to a new team. So, I think it’s super important to have someone reach out and say, “Hey, like I’m here for you. If you need anything, please give me a call, text me, like I’m going to help you.” Soon as they walk in the door, like a player, a coach, a staff member, like I want to be connected with them. I want to meet their family right away. I want to meet them right away. I want them to know that like I’m here. And I think part of that is just being like open, friendly, genuine, and just giving them all the information that they need. So, I think right off the bat they’re like, “Okay, like I really can reach out to her.” My main goal, like coming in here and just like doing some like research, talking to other people who have been here for a long time. I wanted to find where the gaps were. Like what do I need to do in order to like bring this team together, bring the families together, like kind of build a community. I call it like the Patriots family, the Patriots community. How do I make sure everyone knows each other? We’re all on the same team. Everyone should know each other. Like we’re here and I want to build this community. And then so we usually do two events a month which is great. Coach and Stretch have been awesome and they’ve allowed me to take full control and like have so many events and the families just they love it and they really appreciate it. One of the events that we throw for the family members. We have a Halloween party but what we do is we decorate every single office in the football facility and the kids go trick-or-treating and then we have a big Halloween party. This is it every year. Always can count on video. The kids love it. Everyone dresses up, players, coaches, staff. So, it’s just really nice. Want to come in and help aunties and uncles? These events are really nice and super important to have because the players, coaches, and staff, they can see their families. Like, the families can come in and enjoy work with them and it gives them time to spend together because to be honest, like during the season, we don’t we don’t have a lot of time to be with family. But not if we bring the family to us. Gratitude and grace is the biggest event of the season. It’s for the ladies. They’ve supported the team throughout everything. So, this is our way of giving back to them. Photos on that side and then everything to from this way over is all the activation station. So, there’s charm necklaces, permanent bracelets, and then back charms. Mine’s so cute. They’ll get gifts. There’s a bunch of different vendors. There’s like photo booths and it’s basically like a gala. They get to get dressed up and then go out and just hang out with all their friends. Dude, you killed it. You This is the coolest thing out of every organization I’ve been with. This is the best show. Oh, thank you. No, you killed it. Thank you. This is awesome. People are able to meet each other and they do become friends. Everyone is like, “Oh, it’s not just like something that like I need to go to.” They’re going to an event with friends they go out with anyway. So, everyone like wants to go. They want to spend time with the team. They want to spend time with their friends. It’s nice to have. Can you believe it? One of those things. Game day, I get here like pretty early just because my daycare provider comes in 3 hours before the game starts. So, I just want to be here an hour before they get here to make sure everything’s set up for them. They have everything that they need. Perfect. But everything else looks great. So, thanks for that. I’ll get it. Don’t you worry guys. The number one thing that I think the families really really appreciate is uh we have a daycare provider who comes here on site and I think that’s just a really good resource for them because you don’t have to look for a sitter. They can go to the game and enjoy and if they want to pop in and out from the daycare they can. That’s I got a lot of good feedback about that from the families. This is so fun guys. And then I just like make sure I’m available. So if any like players, coaches or staff need something last minute. The morning is for making sure the team’s good. Like all the players are good, all the coaches are good and then after that it’s focusing like on the families and then also like the players will do stuff and coaches too. But like more when the families are here, they’ll start calling me. Hi. How are you? Good. How are you? Good. So nice to have everyone here. How’s it going? Hi. Good to see you. It’s so hot outside. How are you? Good. How are you? Good. How are you? The Williams family needs you. Oh, so glad you guys are here. We’re going to the field so you guys can follow me. Oh, thank you. Thanks for having me. Yeah, no problem. Thank you so much. Of course. So, pregame I just make sure like family members get on the field, they’re in the right section. Sometimes like a family member is across the field and the player will run up to me and say, “Where’s my wife? Where’s my kids?” And I need to know where they are. I just like to be aware where everyone is just in case I do get that question. I can bring them to them quickly. When the game starts, like anything that needs to be taken care of off the field, like I’m the point of contact for that. So, I really can’t even go into depth of what that looks like because my phone’s ringing. Everything’s different. Certain family needs something or a player on the field needs something. If they need help with anything, I will take care of it. It seems like we’re all right in here. I’m instigating. I’m causing problems. I’m like that aunt that comes in and shed it. She knows our family in and out now on a personal level outside of just a professional level and it’s just having that connection inside of the team has been a game changer. Knowing we have someone who’s a direct connection to us takes the stress and the anxiety away. Um whether the questions big or small, just knowing I have her and she’s there to help is is life-changing and it makes it so much more seamless and enjoyable. Hie, she is so great at communication. She’s really supportive and she’s really understanding and that’s just really amazing to have. Also, she does the dang thing. She does everything. Like, it’s really amazing at the things that she can do. Like, if I have a question, Callie knows the answer or Hie knows how to get it done. Cuz we just like love her. She’s so special. She does everything for everyone. How do you not love Hie? Like genuinely, she does a good job. Holly does her best and it works every single time. Oh my gosh. Holly and you’ll be set for life. Let’s go. Postgame we have a dinner for the team. It’s nice when we get a win. They’re welcome to invite family members there or like close friends. We’ll put a wristband on them. Make sure they get in and they can see the team after the game. Thank you. No problem. After the game, I just like to go around, say hi to everyone, especially because most of the people that come here, they don’t live here. So, I mean, I get to see them when they come to the games, but honestly, this family is this team is my family and everyone a part of it. So, I just I love seeing everyone at at post games. So, I make sure I go around and say hi to everyone. What does Hie do? Anything we need. Anything we need. We ask uh last I know for me anyways, I’m last minute every day from from list to let my family in to to getting things done. So, she’s always helpful. How honest she is. Um any question that you have like I don’t feel like I’m overstepping. Uh she she’s nice just from the sense of whenever your family does come in connecting whenever you text her like she’s right there whenever you call. It’s it’s it’s just a blessing to end up having her like a part of this organization for sure. Coach Frabel and ownership have been absolutely incredible allowing me to do more than I ever thought I’d be able to. So I just think there’s so much room to grow. There’s so much potential. I’m able to like pitch anything that I want to do and if they can make it happen, they will 100% help me make it happen, which is so nice. So, I just feel like there’s so much room to grow. This is my team and like I’m all in with them. Like, we’re all in it together. If I can make their life better, like their life easier, and they trust me, like that that does it for me.

An inside look at Halle Ross, the Family Services & Football Engagement Coordinator for the New England Patriots.

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