As the Greer and Springerville communities in eastern Arizona face the uncertainty and devastation of the ongoing Greer Fire, local residents are stepping up to support one another—and teen athletes are leading the way.

ABC15 spoke with Round Valley Elks Football Head Coach Brad Baca, who shared a powerful moment involving his players. A photo he provided shows several team members coming together to help one of their own.

The image was captured shortly after a teammate asked for help clearing wood and debris from around his home to create a defensible space. Within minutes, dozens of teammates arrived to assist—without any prompting from the coaching staff.

“The impressive thing is, us as coaches didn’t even ask for kids to show up,” Coach Baca said. “The team member sent out a text and all the kids just showed up on their own. It was a very impressive and humbling thing to see. Especially with the negative connotation that is put on today’s youth of ‘being lazy’ or ‘don’t want to work.’ It’s a great thing to see for sure.”

The players’ support hasn’t stopped with their teammate. The football team is offering help to anyone affected by the fire or evacuations.

“The whole football team is ready and willing to help where we can,” the team wrote in a Facebook post. “Please let us know if you or anyone you know needs any help moving, or loading anything due to the fire and evacuations.”

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As the fire continues to impact the region, the actions of these young athletes have become a bright spot—offering both inspiration and hope to a community in crisis.

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