Floyd Central football team helping with flood cleanup

FLOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) - Victims who lost everything in the devastating flooding in Eastern Kentucky last week have been getting help from young athletes.

Players on the Floyd Central football team have been splitting their time getting ready for the upcoming season and working in the mud and heat to help their community recover.

The team has spent their mornings this week working on the cleanup effort in Wayland and Garrett, areas hit hard by the flooding.

So far, they’ve cleaned out 18 houses and unloaded two tractor-trailers. After hours of physical labor in the mud, they have football practice in the evenings.

Head Coach Shawn Hager, who’s been with the team since the school’s inaugural year in 2017, says he couldn’t be more impressed with his team’s character.

“I’m extremely proud of them,” Hager said. “We’ve tried to get to people that have asked us to come. Not one of them has complained. They’ve gotten up every morning and come out and helped us.”

When asked how he feels at the end of the day after flood cleanup, combined with football practice, senior quarterback Max Martin said “accomplished.”

“All of us are tired, but I think the good feeling of helping out the community outweighs all of that,” Martin said.

One player’s home was destroyed in the flood. Teammates pitched in and gave him cash, new clothes, and an Xbox.

“When stuff like this hits, realizing you can rely on the guys around you has pulled us together so much harder,” Martin said.

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