Members of the Warrenton football team spent the last Saturday morning in April giving back to their community.

Thanks to a collaborative effort, Warrenton sophomore Bradley Tucker and his teammates were in Binkley Park, planting 35 trees. The effort was part of the program’s work to do more than play football and to give back to those around them.

“It means a lot to be relied on by the community and (be a) trusted volunteer,” Tucker said. “It's exciting to know that the community thinks highly of our football team and wants our help.”

The tree planting came about when Warren County R-III School Board member Stephanie Tibbetts contacted the school about the opportunity, and Warriors’ football coach Jason Koper jumped at the chance to have his team bond over a cause.

It also didn’t hurt that Tibbetts just so happened to know someone on the park board who knew about the planned event.

“(Warrenton Ward 3) Alderman (Brandon) Lang is my better half,” said Tibbetts of her husband. He is currently a representative to the park board. It was there he learned that several of our park's trees are suffering from Oak Wilt. So last year, Brandon applied for Project ReLeaf, a grant that funds tree planting. They were able to plant 30 last year and 35 this year. It was through him that we knew that the park board needed extra hands for this year’s event.”

Tibbetts, who was also in attendance at the tree planting, said that the civic pride she felt in seeing several of the school’s football players giving of their time was incredible.

She said she knows just how invested Koper’s program is in the community and that it’s great to see.

“I reached out to Andy Arnette after we'd had a conversation about school) culture,” Tibbetts said. “School athletics is much more than a score on a scoreboard. It's about the culture you build within a community. It is my hope to see more students volunteering their time and building a lifelong passion for getting involved and giving back. Coach Koper is running a fabulous program and those young men were incredibly motivated. I definitely couldn't keep up.”

Koper said that the tree planting is emblematic of the type of work away from the field he’d like his players to continue doing.

The coach said that when he found out about the opportunity, his team's reaction was both immediate and overwhelming.

“It has been my mission to have our football team give back to the community whenever we are given the opportunity,” Koper said. “I felt it was a good opportunity for our student-athletes to get out in the community and show that we are committed to making Warrenton the best place possible. I put a post out to our team and had eight players reach out immediately, saying they would be there. We often say that it takes a village to support our team, and it is a testament to the character of not only the athletes but also their parents. The passion and dedication of the student-athletes and their parents are incredible. It was a great event. We were honored to help Alderman Lang in this process. We look forward to getting football players out in the community as the year (continues).”

Sophomore Eli Schneider said that the work of planting the trees not only helps continue to beautify the city, but also serves as a thank-you to the town that supports its football team.

It’s a support that extends past Friday nights in the fall, he said.

“It feels good to be able to give back to the community after all the support they have shown our football team,” Schneider said. “It means even more to me to help in Warrenton since my mom and dad both graduated from Warrenton. I love Warrenton and helping whenever I can.”