TEMPE, Ariz. — It’s been seven years since Corona del Sol High School product Ricky Pearsall committed to play football at Arizona State. His football career has taken him from the Valley of the Sun to the Swamp and now to the Bay Area, but the second-year NFL wide out took time during his offseason to return to where it all began by hosting a free youth football clinic at his old high school in Tempe.

“I was just on this turf not too long ago and I know this process. I remember being a kid looking up to NFL players.” Pearsall said. “I just took a look around to remember all the memories. It’s really crazy how things go around.”

Pearsall became a standout receiver for the Sun Devils during his three seasons at ASU, then transferred to the University of Florida for two years. In 2024, the San Francisco 49ers selected Pearsall in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. His talent and faith took him from Friday Night Fever on 12News to Monday Night Football on ESPN.  

Before heading to Training Camp in Santa Clara, Pearsall wanted to return to his hometown and give back to the community that helped foster his football dreams.

“I always had that belief, and I think that just goes back to who I was raised by: my parents. They instilled that belief into me,” Pearsall said. “I had a great group of friends at [Corona del Sol] that always believed in me as well, so I had no choice but to believe in myself. Now we’re here.”

Ricky’s mom, Erin, says the mission behind the free football camp is to make an impact off the field and leave a legacy. Her son is living out his dream but in August 2024, she and her family experienced what felt like a nightmare.

Ricky was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco. He made a full recovery and 50 days later, he made his NFL debut.

“It gives me goosebumps to talk about because it could’ve went the other direction and it didn’t,” Erin said. “[Ricky] had a dream since he was six years old and he’s living it out right now because of the sacrifices he made to be disciplined. This is a story about persistence and him overcoming difficult times.”

Pearsall is looking forward to his future as a 49er, but he hasn’t forgotten where he came from. He plans on hosting more youth football camps in Tempe as well as Gainesville. While he finished his college career as a Gator, he looks back on his time at ASU fondly. 

Pearsall is another hometown hero young athletes in Arizona can look up to and after making his dream a reality, he offered a simple message to the kids at his football camp: just keep believing.

“Have faith and continue to believe in themselves and work extremely hard because you’re never going to get anywhere in life unless you’re super dedicated, you manifest about it and you work really hard towards it.”

Follow the conversation with Lina Washington on X and Instagram: @LWashingtonTV. If you have a sports story idea, email Lina at LWashington@12News.com.

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MONTROSE, Pa. — About 80 kids showed up at Montrose Area High School to learn the ins and outs of football from the former Meteor, Chris Snee.  Now an NFL scout, Snee spent his 10 year career with the New York Giants and is one of the most decorated players in Giants history, winning 2 Super bowls with the team and a 4 time Pro Bowler.  

Snee says he wanted to give back to his alma mater to help build the football program at Montrose starting them young.

“You know, the priority with this was I wanted all the varsity kids to get to know the youth players and then the youth players to get to know the varsity kids, um, because I told them how I looked up the guys before me and we want to reestablish that relationship and just again, you know, have them be role models for the younger kids and I think that you’re seeing that today. Yeah, but it’s just been a lot of fun, a lot of smiles. It’s competitive, but it’s loose and fun, and I think it’s a great day for Montrose,” Snee said.

“He’s supportive of what we’re trying to do up here and have Chris you know come all the way from  Boston means a whole lot and it’s just the first of many. We’re all learning and we’re going to get better as we do this thing, but so excited just to see the direction that this program is headed,” said Montrose head football coach George Petrak.

Chris Snee and the New York Giants organization also donated $15,000 to the Junior Meteors football program and the booster club.

Snee will also be participating in a charity golf tournament on Sunday at Tall Pines Players Club in Montrose.