FOXBORO, Mass. — Dan Koppen knows it can be beneficial for a youngster to meet a professional athlete, or at the very least, the experience could breed some excitement.
The Patriots center grew up in the same town in Pennsylvania and attended the same high school as former NFL linebacker and executive Matt Millen, who would return to Whitehall High and work out with the kids. Koppen was one of them, and he said it always helped his confidence. Because of that, Koppen tries to pay it forward any chance he gets.
"Anytime you get to meet a professional athlete like that, especially as a young kid, I think that’s pretty cool," Koppen said on Thursday. "I always remember getting to meet [Millen] and getting to work out with him a little bit as a high school kid. It’s cool, and meeting kids, seeing them smile, it’s great."
Koppen and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick made a surprise visit Wednesday to Lebanon (Conn.) Middle School, and the pair seemed to enjoy the opportunity nearly as much as the kids.
"It’s fun to go talk to kids, especially the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth graders," Koppen said. "Anywhere you go, they’re just excited. If I was in middle school, and I had Coach Belichick come to my school, I’d be pumped about it, too, so they were great.
"I don’t know how happy they were that I was there, but if [Belichick] came down and talked to you, it’s definitely something you’re going to remember for a long time. The kids were great. They were cheering, really loud and into it. Hopefully they had a good time. They got out of school."
Last week, the middle schoolers were apparently told a member of the Patriots would meet with them in response to their involvement with the NFL’s community initiative, "Play 60," which encourages an hour of outdoor activity on a daily basis. Due to a mix-up in communication, a Patriots intern showed up, and the school shared its disappointment.
In an effort to make up for the miscommunication, Belichick and Koppen made the visit to Lebanon and engaged in a discussion about the importance of school, among other things. After the session, Belichick walked through the crowd and high-fived the kids.
"We can really get out there and help people, talk to kids, and that comes with the job," Koppen said. "We’re on TV. We’re playing in the games on Sunday and stuff, so when people are excited to see you, and if you think you can help people out, you should be all for it."
