These legendary Dolphins from the 1972 team came to celebrate Everglades National Park

Larry Little had never been to the Everglades.

Now, he can’t can’t have enough.

“I’m going to make it a point now to come out here and see what the park is all about,” Little said.

Little joined Dick Anderson and Mercury Morris as representatives of the legendary 1972 Miami Dolphins team at Friday’s celebration of the 72nd anniversary of the founding of Everglades National Park.

The event at the park’s Royal Palms Visitor Center brought together champions from the sport’s world with the next generation of environmental protectors.

“It’s cool that everybody is here at the same time, in the same evolution of those same numbers,” Morris said.

Celebrating the park’s 72nd birthday was only a small part of the festivities. The main attraction was the roughly 100 elementary school students from North Hialeah and Coral Reef who were honored as “Everglades Champions.”

Each student received a commemorative coin that recognized their participation in Everglades Foundation’s Everglades Literacy Program, a curriculum designed to foster the next generation of conservation stewards.

“What we wanted to do with the Dolphins was to show them what a champion looks like,” said Eric Eikenberg, the CEO of the foundation, which partnered with Miami Super Bowl Host Committee and the park itself to organize the function.

When the ex-Fins were called to the stage, the crowd erupted. Many students initially didn’t understand who or why the three players were there.

That didn’t last long — at the mention of the ‘72 Dolphins’ legacy as the only undefeated team in the NFL’s 100 year history, the students let out a loud gasp.

Anderson praised the students’ teachers and emphasized the significance of working together in his brief allocution.

“Teamwork is very, very, important,” Anderson said to the crowd. “If we were the only team in 100 years to go undefeated [it was because] we had remarkable coaches like you have remarkable teachers.”

Speakers stressed teamwork as the students learned of the task ahead of them. Paraphrasing a popular proverb, Zoo Miami wildlife expert Ron Magill reminded the students that protecting nature was a lifelong commitment.

“We have an obligation to keep it as healthy possible for you and then you carry that torch,” Magill said to the students. “ So you’re the most important generation in saving all of this that’s going on.”

While preserving the Everglades will be no small feat, it seemed as if the Earth might be in good hands. Many of the children had visited the park prior to Friday’s ceremony

As for Little and Morris, they had plans to return before even leaving the property.

“I’m going to have these little cars that I bought for [my grandchildren] so that they can come out and ride and just have fun out in nature,” Morris concluded.