Student Meets with Redskins Coach Shanahan; Proposes Fan Plan

When Bull Run Middle School student Lauren Ainslie wrote to Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen with a problem and solution, she didn’t think she’d get an answer. Much less, one in the form of a personal meeting with Coach Mike Shanahan at Redskins Park.

“I didn’t know what to expect because I know a lot of mail
goes into the Redskins,” she said.

Still, she worked on her letter, which was part of a SIGNET
assignment for the then seventh-grader: write to a company that has a problem and propose a solution.

“My problem was that the fans feel neglected because the
Redskins have done a lot for the community but not for connecting with the fans. And so I proposed a ‘fan-to-coach program,’” she explained.

The idea? The Redskins would draw a name from a season
ticket holder lottery, and offer that fan a brief meeting with the coaches, team officials and a few players.

“They could meet with them about a problem for the team, what they like or dislike about the Redskins in a 5-minute, face- to-face meeting."

She also suggested children be allowed to participate in the meeting and play football with the players while discussing the idea; thereby, promoting the NFL Play 60 program (promoting 60 minutes of exercise a day.)

Two days later she was “screaming” and “shaking” when she
got a personal note back from GM Bruce Allen. “I love your idea!” hand-wrote Allen, who told her to get in touch with his assistant, and they’d set up a meeting with the coach.

“I was so excited,” Lauren laughed.

The meeting was held May 26 at Redskins Park in Ashburn.

The 13-year-old’s 5-minute meeting –complete with a PowerPoint
presentation she gave--turned into 30 minutes with the head coach and the Ainslie family in Shanahan’s office.

“I was really nervous, but he was so nice. He couldn’t have
done anything better,” she said. He listened to her idea, told her to come back and talk to the marketing people, and “we’d see what we could do.” He urged her to pursue the idea and “make it happen.” 

The coach gave her an embroidered Redskins football signed by him and her favorite player Brian Orakpo.

The 13-year-old Redskins fan, accompanied by her younger sister Kelsey, and parents Mike and Cindy,  also met GM Allen. “He said I got an A on my project.”

“My dad was really excited [as a lifelong Redskins fan], but
he wanted to stay out of my meeting since it was my thing, so he tried not to get involved. But when I stumbled, he helped me stick to my words,” she said. Yet Dad couldn't contain his enthusiasm when retired QB Pat Fischer came by.

Said Mom Cindy Ainslie of the meeting: “Coach Shanahan was very focused on what Lauren had to present, and it was hard to tell he was dealing with a middle school student. At the end of the meeting, Bruce Allen was waiting for Lauren and was equally engaging. it was all very impressive and reflected amazingly well on the organization.  We wish the fans could see this side of the Redskins-- they did an amazing job and will have a fan for life in Lauren.”

And was the family able to refrain from any armchair quarterbacking in their time with him?

Though they talked briefly about players in the draft, Cindy Ainslie said they refrained. Though her husband is a "die-hard Redskins fan," she roots for the Steelers.

Did she admit her tendency towards the black and gold?

"I revealed I was a Steelers fan but was a Redskin Fan by
marriage," she laughed. "Coach Shanahan was very gracious about it, and agreed: both have teams whose fans hate the Cowboys.”