Minnesota Coach’s Sweet 16-Year Tradition Connects High School Players With Seniors
Eden Prairie football players have shared smiles and stories with seniors over the years
When Minnesota high school coach Mike Grant realized how beneficial it would be for his football players to spend time with senior citizens, he knew he had to put that idea into motion. Now, 16 years later, that life-changing concept has become a sweet connection both generations look forward to every year. Here, he shares his story with Woman’s World.
Coach Mike Grant of Eden Prairie High School crossed his arms, watching his team during football practice with one thought running through his mind. “Men for Others” is our motto, so maybe getting the players involved in spending time with seniors would be a great way to give back, he pondered.
Having coached at the Minnesota high school for more than three decades, he believed his job went beyond just teaching football. It also meant shaping today’s youth to be successful leaders for tomorrow.
I wonder if this can be done by taking time to hear stories from the older generation and learning through them, Mike thought hopefully. After making several calls to local senior living facilities, he got an enthusiastic thumbs-up from The Colony, later renamed The Waters. Mike lined up the first meeting to take place on a Friday, when the team didn’t have practice. They would partake in fun activities at the center, then share time with the residents. It’s going to be a win-win!
A perfect blend
To prepare the players, Mike rallied some of the older faculty at the school, who were in their 60s and 70s, to take part in practice sessions. This helped the high school kids grow more comfortable chatting one-on-one with a senior citizen, knowing what kinds of things to ask, what to talk about and what ice breakers they could use.
Before long, it became apparent that the kids were enjoying it as much as the faculty. “We’re going to have some mock football games at the senior facility that the residents can observe. Then we’ll host some fun games and contests, have snacks and you will get a chance to talk and visit with them,” Mike told his players, who were all enthusiastic about their visit. “I know we will all learn a lot from them, and they will enjoy being with you. This is a great way to give back and brighten their day.”
Just as Mike hoped, the arrangement with the senior facility was a huge success. Not only did his football players and cheerleaders enjoy all the fun and interactions, but the staff raved about how it brought so much joy to the residents, many of whom didn’t have visitors often. This program is here to stay, Mike promised himself, already gearing up for the next team visit.
Years of smiles
Mike is still holding the annual visits at The Waters, with some of the residents attending the team’s home games and cheering from the sidelines. Sydney Freiborg, the Active Life Manager at The Waters for the last two years, is a huge fan of the tradition and is in charge of lining up all the fun for the 150 residents during the events. In August 2025, Eden Prairie players held their 16th annual visit, opening the day with a touch football game between the Eagles and the Waters staff, where residents watched with glee.
After the game, there was a hot dog-eating contest, where Sydney won by eating six hot dogs in two minutes. There was a push-up contest, a lunch where players and cheerleaders served the residents, and then the players got to share more meaningful interactions for the rest of the day, sitting and talking with the seniors.
“I love this tradition,” Sydney says, overcome with emotion. “The joy, the energy, the laughter, the movement—it just completely trans- forms the building. You can’t leave unhappy after witnessing the connections and the pure happiness happening all around you. Watching these young men and women carry themselves with such kindness and respect really does give you hope for the world we live in today, getting to see that there is a lot of good out there.”
Mike loves hearing from the players about what they get out of this tradition, with many saying it’s an honor and privilege to spend time with the residents.
When asked if he plans on keeping up with the annual visits indefinitely, Mike breaks into a smile. “As long as I’m able to coach, I’m keeping it going and hope when I retire someday that it becomes a tradition that is still carried out for years to come,” he says. “After all, ‘Men for Others’ is our motto. If we’re going to preach it, we have to keep on teaching it!”
This story originally appeared in the February 23, 2026, issue of Woman’s World
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