TEMPE, AZ — For Basha High School football coach Tim Kelly, the past year has delivered every emotion the scoreboard can’t show.
One night, he was celebrating a state championship. The next night, he was watching his home burn.
What followed was an outpouring of support that few coaches ever experience, neighbors, parents, former players, and strangers rallying around him. A community-led GoFundMe has now climbed to nearly $50,000, helping Kelly secure temporary housing near campus as he rebuilds.
Now, as the new year approaches, Kelly is reflecting on a season defined not just by wins and losses, but by resilience and community.
In this follow-up, ABC15 sat down with Coach Kelly to talk about the emotional whiplash of the past year, the lessons he’s learned from unexpected generosity, and how a coach who’s spent decades lifting others is learning what it means to accept help himself, one day, and one play, at a time. Watch the full story in the video player above.
