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Junior high school students at Penn Hills Middle School received a surprise workout partner on Wednesday: Former PHMS student and Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that the reigning 2020 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and seven-time Pro Bowl selection joined students at his middle school alma mater as part of the school’s “Go Pro” summer workout program.
“We value our alumni a lot, and we hope they provide students the inspiration and motivation to do things in life and work towards their futures,” said Matt Herdman, the coordinator for the summer program.
Donald was joined by his trainer DeWayne Brown along with members of Donald’s 2/10ths Speed + Agility training team. Donald and his training crew got to put the kids through footwork and agility drills, which are some of the workouts Donald does to develop his quick feet off the ball. The 2/10ths program has been in existence since 2015 in Pennsylvania.
Seventh grader Gabrielle West told the Tribune Review “It was so amazing getting to train with a major league athlete” and added she was able to strike a conversation with the All-Pro during one-on-one drills.
Fellow seventh grader Zylon Patterson added “The workout was great and felt the same as the football workouts I do.”
Anyone who has followed the 6-foot-1, 284-pound Donald’s career knows about his intense workout regimen that makes him look nothing like the average, heavy, ab-less defensive tackle. The chiseled Donald has an obsession with fitness, even allowing the Rams Twitter account to share his ab routine last year during the pandemic.
Donald shared some of his workout and nutrition secrets in this video:
Donald also launched his own You Tube channel in June 2020, which shows his family man side and his workout regimens.
About the ‘Go Pro’ Program
In a June 21 Tribune Review article, the purpose of the “Go Pro” program is to not only connect PHMS students with past students, but to make up for learning loss during the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s not the first time Donald made a guest appearance at his middle school alma mater. He led a 2019 workout session as part of his foundation AD99 Solutions. Donald formed the foundation to help serve his hometown Pittsburgh’s underserved youth.
“The mission of AD99 Solutions is to change the trajectory of Pittsburgh’s most vulnerable youth by providing necessary resources in a free, safe environment where they can be empowered to excel academically, socially, and athletically,” the website’s mission statement reads. “In the city known as ‘The City of Bridges,’ we look to act as a bridge, connecting underserved communities and youth to what they lack most—resources and opportunities.”
Donald Joins Fellow Lineman in Giving Back
The month of June has seen two members of the Rams’ defensive trenches give back.
Along with Donald, his fellow lineman teammate Sebastian Joseph-Day surprised one nearby school with a donation courtesy of the Rams. The fourth-year Rutgers nose tackle helped present a $5,550 donation to the Garfield High football program and Bulldogs head coach Lorenzo Hernandez on June 14.
