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JERSEY SERIES Celebration of NE Revolution President Brian Bilello, 2020-21 Positive Impact Executive

03.10.2021



Competition. Dignity. Compassion. Kindness. Respect. Empathy. Celebration. We see it all on the pitch in a 90-minute Revs match at Gillette Stadium. We also see it off the pitch with Brian Bilello and the NE Revolution team.


In a lively Zoom room filled with Brian’s former MIT teammates, past and present Revs stars, soccer fans and more, we celebrated Brian Bilello, our 2020-21 Positive Impact Executive on February 24th in the second event in our JERSEY SERIES. Brian’s vintage 1994 USMNT “denim” kit almost stole the show, but everyone in the room left with a deeper understanding of how Brian and his team at the Revs have built community, and made a lasting, positive impact from Boston to Providence, Foxboro, Poland and beyond, through sports done right.

Wearing “the jersey” carries many meanings. The jersey makes you part of a team, and being part of a team makes you part of something bigger than yourself. Brian shared that while he hated fitness sessions, he would run as hard as he could to keep an opposing player from firing off a shot on a teammate. That’s accountability, and teamwork. For Brian, wearing the jersey made him reflect on how grateful he was to be able to coach and share the game he loves with his own kids and other people’s kids. For Revs forward Teal Bunbury, wearing the jersey gives him a platform to do meaningful work to help others, especially to lift up parents in need providing food and school supplies to their children with dignity. For Charlie Davies, former Revs and USMNT player now MLS and ESPN broadcaster and analyst, wearing the jersey gives him the opportunity to do many things--experience the March for Life in Poland, drive the Revs’ C.H.A.N.G.E. platform, and reach new professional heights, with Brian’s encouragement. Because we “play” sports, the evening was not just meaningful it was playful, competitive, and held a few surprises. Here are a few more highlights of the discussion moderated by Sarah Wroblewski of CBS Boston and former UMass Lowell Soccer captain:

  • Taylor Twellman surprised Brian with a congratulatory video expressing his deep appreciation for Brian’s leadership in supporting THINKTaylor and concussion awareness
  • Brian and Charlie talked about participating in the March of the Living in Poland
  • Charlie Davies expressed the importance of the Revs’ C.H.A.N.G.E. platform to address racism, social justice, and how he is grateful for the opportunity to be part of this change
  • Brian shared how much the Revs’ Unified Team, Supporters Cup, and SCORES Cup mean to him
  • Brian named both Taylor Twellman and Bruce Arena as legends in the lightning round
  • Mary McVeigh Connor, the co-founder of Soccer Without Borders, competed in and won the best jersey contest with her Nicaraguan Women’s National Team jersey because “soccer should be for girls everywhere”
  • Boston’s other professional team presidents, including Red Sox President Sam Kennedy outdoors from snowy Fenway and Bruins President Cam Neely masked up at Warrior Ice Arena, combined for a surprise Presidential Salute to Brian
  • MIT Director Athletics G. Anthony Grant, Ph.D. closed out the evening on a high note, sharing that wearing the MIT jersey comes with a heavy responsibility and that MIT is committed to changing the world, which Brian is doing

Fitness fan or not, Brian is still making that hard run down the field for all of us—building community with some competition, and a lot of dignity, compassion, kindness, respect, empathy and celebration.