Press Release  Probation in the Community Lawrence Probation Officer inspires Lowell Youth Football Team

Lowell — Primitivo “Tivo” Concepcion, Lawrence District Probation Officer, and Lowell Police Officer Jaime Britto spoke to members of the Lowell Junior High Athletics Club on October 10 to inspire the children, who are in grades 5-8, to follow their dreams.

Concepcion, a 20-year Probation employee and former Lowell District Probation Officer who lived in Lowell and Lawrence as a youth, was invited by Lowell District Assistant Chief Probation Officer Daniel Rourke to speak to the young athletes following a brawl between two groups of students in Downtown Lowell on September 14. Ten juveniles and one 18-year-old man were arrested and police used pepper spray.

“It (fight) was a really ugly situation. I wanted to introduce our players to individuals who could have a positive influence on them and draw their attention away from the negativity. Tivo played Boston College football and played against players who made it to the NFL,” said Rourke who coaches the youth.

Concepcion and Britto, who grew up together and were high school and college gridiron stars, spoke to club members about respect for family, community, and themselves. Concepcion encouraged the youngsters to aim high in their ambitions. He said speaking to the youth not only benefitted the youth but inspired him as well.

“Anytime I have the opportunity to give back to the community, I am happy to do it. Doing this takes the edge off of us (Probation). You can really get jaded. But, you have to see the positives and not the negatives. You have to see where there is hope and there is hope in good kids and there is hope in their futures,” Concepcion said.

Concepcion, who earned a degree in Sociology at Boston College where he played football, said being a member of the team opened a “new world” to him where he traveled the country with his team and played high profile college teams such as Ohio State, Notre Dame, and the University of Miami.

“When I played Boston College football, there weren’t a lot of kids who looked like me. I told the Lowell kids that if they work diligently, there are opportunities. There are 25 scholarships for every college. They look at college football players as stars and heroes. I told them if they work hard, they can become someone’s hero,” Concepcion said.

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