Making the Most of Summer
These elements were sent to us by Berlin Theodore , and he received permission from Christina DiMemmo for posting on the website. Thank you to both!
Scroll down for photos . . .
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Super Bowl Champion Visits DSCP as Part
of Youth Mentoring Program
Story and Photos by Christina DiMemmo Courtesy of the Defense Suppy Center Philadelphia
Hank
Poteat, an NFL player for the New England Patriots, visited the Defense Supply
Center Philadelphia recently as part of a youth mentoring program. Bernard
Theodore, a student athlete from Bishop McDevitt High School in Wyncote, Pa.,
shadowed Poteat to experience a day in the life of an NFL player. Poteat had
been training in the Philadelphia area in preparation for this year’s football
season. Theodore joined Poteat for a training session before beginning the
community relations leg of their Philadelphia tour. Theodore accompanied Poteat to the Children’s Hospital of
Philadelphia to visit seriously ill children hospitalized there. As a way of
offering comfort to the patients and their families, Poteat met with the young
football fans and autographed pictures for them. After chatting with CHOP
patients and staff, Poteat and his shadow journeyed to DSCP for a visit with
DSCP’s Commander, Army Brig. Gen. Jesse Cross. Poteat is a Pennsylvania native who was born in Harrisburg and
originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2000 NFL
draft. He signed with New England just before their 2005 postseason run as the
Patriots won their third Super Bowl in four years. During an office call with
DSCP’s Commander, Poteat introduced his “shadow” to General Cross and thanked
him for meeting with them. The meeting was an opportunity for Theodore to
observe other role models who have been successful in fields not related to
professional sports and entertainment. After welcoming his guests and briefly explaining the DSCP troop
support mission, Cross stressed the need for positive role models in every
teenager’s life. “You are not young forever,” he told Theodore. “After you
play football, there are going to be some lean years if you didn’t apply
yourself during the harvest years.” Cross gave examples of professional
football players who saved money and started businesses in various industries
after their sports careers ended. He stressed how tenuous fame can be and
related it to his career within the Army. “Somebody is always waiting to move
into your seat. By this time next year, I’ll know who’s taking my place as
Commander of DSCP. This is a two-year assignment for me and then I go somewhere
else.” Poteat warned against falling in love with the sports star
lifestyle. “Athletes are pampered by colleges and the NFL. The key is not to
fall in love with that. Because if you do, when it’s over, you don’t know what
do with yourself. Once you’re out of the league, no one cares who you are.” Cross stressed the need for mentors and the importance of being
coachable. “You’ve got to rely on other people. You’ve got to rely on a team.
In this life, you can’t rely on any one thing to make you successful. Listen to
the wisdom of others and draw from their experiences. . . learn from them,” he
said. Berlin Theodore, Bernard’s older brother, works as a business
manager in DSCP’s Medical Supply Chain. Berlin planned the mentoring event as a
way to engage young people in mentoring partnerships and to see the importance
of such a relationship. During a radio interview later that afternoon, Berlin
told listeners that he wanted to “introduce youths with people who have been
successful in their fields and have helped others realize their potentials. We
hope this will inspire young adults to think about what they want to be and what
they want to do.” He closed by challenging successful individuals to find out
how they can give . Berlin is a DLA (Defense Logistics
Agency) Contingency Support Team veteran who just returned from a six-month
deployment to Kuwait. While deployed, he worked as a multi-class commodity
specialist expediting customer orders from the war theater. Before departing from DSCP, General Cross presented each visitor
with a Commander’s coin, DSCP t-shirt, DSCP baseball cap and a signed copy of
his official photo. Bernard Theodore, Philadelphia’s student athlete of the day,
described his shadowing experience as lots of fun. “Mr. Poteat is a cool dude
and real down to earth,” he said. Bernard also described how the day’s
activities involved much more than press cameras following around an NFL sports
figure.
Bernard Theodore with Hank Poteat and
Brigadier General Cross.
Bernard and Brigadier General Cross.
Bernard, sittin' pretty, with Cross, Poteat, Bobby McRae (Poteat's
personal assistant) and Berlin Theodore.
Author
Published
March 5, 2026
Updated
March 5, 2026