In preparing for Sunday night’s game against the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick took some time out to discuss Thanksgiving and the role high school coaches play in young athletes’ lives.

In many cases, they are among the most influential people in determining what kind of people the players become.

“Just recognizing the high schools and the great job that those coaches do to develop players that eventually become our players and how impactful they are to our players,” Belichick told reporters during his regular Thursday call. “When I talk to players at the Combine and in the spring and so forth, usually the two most influential people for kids are their parents – or in some cases one parent – and then the high school football coach or maybe the junior high school football coach or someone that’s been with them along the way that helped them develop as young men.

“All of us that have had that opportunity have certainly gained from it and taken from it. Reaching out to them with our level of appreciation for what they do for kids that we eventually see at this level, and for all of the support that the parents and the families give those teams and those players and how it brings everybody together.”

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