Usually it is the community coming out to support the high school football team on Friday evenings. However, as a result of Hurricane Matthew, these roles were reversed.

The lead up to last weekend’s Hurricane Matthew painted a bleak picture of what was to come. The storm caused massive damage up-and-down the East Coast while displacing entire communities. High school campuses were closed and football games were canceled.

The clean-up is just beginning only days removed from the storm making landfall.

Yet, even in the midst of disaster, parents, children and even high school football players are rallying in support of a collective cleanup. In the process they are finding hope and fostering civic pride.  

Myrtle Beach, S.C.

The beachside community was hard hit by last weekend’s storm, which put a stop to all daily activities, including Friday night football.

Myrtle Beach linebacker Dlanor Tilton spoke to myrtlebeachonline.com and expressed his disappointment.

“Words can’t express honestly…I miss the Friday night lights so much. I think I speak for my whole team when I say we’re just ready to get back on the field and get to business,” said Tilton.

A number of players tried to fill their time with workouts and film. However, a few important folks in the local football community decided to do something more than just bide their time.

Conway head football coach Chuck Jordan along with city councilman and team play-by-play announcer Ashley Smith spearheaded an effort to encourage people to pitch in and assist the hardest hit areas of their community.

The two gentlemen enlisted members of the high school football team and the collective effort began in earnest on Monday. A number of high school football players could be seen throughout the area of Cherry Hill Baptist Church, clearing debris from the yards of older residents who were not physically capable of doing so on their own. Jordan and Conway were right beside the players throughout their efforts.

The afternoon was touching for everyone involved.

“Seeing the kids ‘want to do it’ was the best part,” Smith said. “People were with tears in their eyes after we left their house.”

Life may not get back to normal for a while. In the meantime, it is the collective effort of those within the community that is raising hope for everyone. More importantly, young men are learning what it takes to be responsible and contributing members of society.

“Coach Jordan teaches so much more than football to his players. I love seeing young people taking ownership of their community,” Smith said. “Step one in making this world a better place starts locally.”

Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

With schools closed after the storm passed, high school students had the opportunity to find a leisure activity, like catching up with friends or going to the beach, to take their minds off of the terrible events.

The Ponte Vedra High School football team was not among those students. Instead of hitting the practice field for some extra reps, the squad decided to dedicate their time to cleaning up their damaged community.

“They [the community] do so much for us and support our football team, so we're helping them out in the ways that we can,” senior Carson Richter told News4Jax.

The team took to their work with football-like precision. The team broke up into individual positional squads in order to cover more ground throughout the community.

Linebackers spent the day cleaning up a heavily hit neighborhood located along a stretch of public beach. The proximity to the ocean ensured the area was severely impacted. The prospect of intense manual labor did not dissuade the linebackers. They reveled in the physical work and were happy to pitch in to help the community return to some semblance of normal daily life.

“It came by and it ruined a lot of people’s houses and trees, so we're coming out and cleaning up [and] helping people out,” said sophomore Cole McCormick.

Their collective efforts lifted the spirits of those they assisted who were home to express their gratitude. The uplifting surprise of a clean neighborhood lay in wait for those who were at work and arrived home after the young men were already gone.

While the touching efforts of the young men will not be forgotten, the lessons they learned are even longer lasting. Their parents certainly noticed and are rightfully proud.

“Not only the physical part with football, but also the character building helping to mold these boys into men and productive members of society,” said a parent of the players.

Jasper, Ga.

The small community located 60 miles north of Atlanta allowed a glimpse at the future: how lessons learned as high school football players are carried with young men and women throughout their lives.

There are numerous examples of high school football players up-and-down the coast pitching in and helping to clean up their communities after the storm. In the process, these young people are gaining a first-hand understanding of what it means to be a member of their community, which is akin to being a good teammate.

These real-life lessons will foster a sense of civic pride that will stick with them throughout their lives.

Former Ridgeland High School (Rossville, Ga.) football star Wesley Scott is perfect example of this narrative. Scott played defensive line for the Division I program at Miami of Ohio and could be seen this weekend pitching in at a local shelter.

“It’s kind of like my area, the area that raised me, so it’s the least I can do to help to give back to my community,” Scott said to the Jasper Sun Times.

Scott, like any good teammate, was quick to point out others for their efforts.

“The staff working at the shelter is a dedicated group, and there’s enough of us on hand, cycling through 12-hour shifts, to serve the people,” Scott said.

Silver Linings

The devastation that was wrought by last weekend’s storm may inexorably alter communities all along the East Coast. However, the numerous examples of communities banding together in the midst of tragedy indicate they will rebuild stronger than ever.

In the long run, this horrific storm afforded some high school football players the opportunity to selflessly pitch in and learn lifelong lessons in the process.

Lanier County High School (Lakeland, Ga.) head coach and former NFL wide receiver Carl Parker summed it up best.

“It’s what you teach kids about in life through this game,” Parker told The Florida Times-Union. “It’s important being selfless. You make better people, you get a better football player. But if you’re worried about making a better football player, you’re not necessarily making a better person.”

USA Football awards thousands of dollars each year to programs in need of disaster relief. To apply for a disaster relief grant, click here.