Parks & Recreation

Good Life Program

Former NFL Wide Receiver Brett Perriman personifies the Good Life Program at the NFL YET (Youth Education Town) Center at Gwen Cherry Park in Liberty City. Reared in the Scott Holmes Housing Projects facing Gwen Cherry Park, Perriman used sports and academics to build a better life than what urban living had to offer.

A graduate of Miami Northwestern and the University of Miami, the star athlete enjoyed an 11-year career as a wide receiver in the National Football League. Today, Perriman owns and operates two sports medicine and physical therapy centers. He is also a community leader, mentoring the youth of his old neighborhood.

"I went through the same ups and downs that these kids are going through," Perriman said. "I can show them how to pattern their lives for success."

Miami-Dade Parks Good Life Program aims for more success stories such as Perriman's. Using sports, academics and the arts, the program provides urban elementary and middle school children with mentally and physically stimulating activities and a support system of positive role models.

More than 400 students are enrolled in Good Life. They report daily to the center after school where they spend their time in reading labs, computer labs and a tutorial center. After the academics, the students participate in football, volleyball, basketball, softball, baseball, soccer, tennis, swimming and track and field.

Each student is assigned a recreational specialist employed by Miami-Dade Parks to serve as a guidance counselor. The specialist helps the students set and obtain goals and monitors the students progress at school, home and on the park.

Exposing youth to others who excelled in sports and life is an integral part of the program. High school athletes participate in Good Life by showing the younger students the importance of education and goal setting. Professionals from the community also serve as mentors.

Perriman is one of the those mentors. He stops by the YET Center weekly and for the past 11 years he has hosted The Brett Perriman Football Camp at Gwen Cherry Park. NFL and University athletes spend the day sharing with the youth football tips and their life achievements.

"I encourage the kids to get more than football out of these camps," Perriman said. "It's about a better way of life."