BERKELEY, NJ — In the upcoming football season, the Central Regional High School football team will have new players - but one of them won't be human.

The team received a donation of a "Mobile Virtual Player" robot by the Herb Hopkins family. This robot is designed to prevent head injuries during football practice.

"I am always looking for what is best for our students and luckily I have amazing Alumni that are very generous," Superintendent Tom Parlapanides said.

Hopkins was a relative of Joseph Boyd, former Central Regional coach, and Boyd's son Michael, who played football for the school in the 70s.

Hopkins closely followed the school's football team but passed away in June 2020 due to Parkinson's Disease complications. Hopkins' Dartmouth College helped fund the donation in Michael Boyd's name.

"I want to thank the Hopkins family for their donation and as a former Central Regional Football player that wakes up every morning to the sounds of Rice Krispie -snap, crackle and pop," Parlapanides said.

The robot was designed by Dartmouth engineering students and is now in use by numerous high school and college football teams, as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"If this will reduce long term injuries and provide a better quality of life after football, I am all for it," Parlapanides said.

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