Lit Nights 7-on-7 tourney returns in honor of founder Denzel Irvin

From the moment Steve Grecco met former Foundation Academy football coach and player Denzel Irvin, who died in December 2024 at 29, he could tell that Irvin was someone he wanted as an influence for his son.

“I had yet to meet Denzel when my son Steven started to work out with the team,” Grecco said. “But one day, I went to campus, and Denzel came over to me immediately and started telling me about how he really liked the way my son played. He told me how much he liked how much determination that Steven shows on the field. He liked the fact that he doesn’t sit back and wait during the reps; he kind of takes them. And Denzel is a football guy, through and through, so he knows what to look for in players. He knows the kind of mental attributes these kids have to have if they’re going to be successful on that field. The way he talked to me about Steven, I could really feel that he saw something in him, and he really took him under his wing and not only made him a better football player but he definitely made him a better person. There’s no question about it to me: Denzel helped develop my son into the man he is today, and I will forever be grateful to him for that.”

As a way to honor Irvin’s impact on not only his son’s life but the late Lion’s impact on so many people within the area’s football community, Grecco — with the help of Foundation Academy — will host the second Lit Nights 7-on-7 charity flag football tournament beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, March 28, at the school’s Tilden Campus. 

The event founded by Irvin in 2024 was the perfect way to combine Irvins’ two passions: developing young football players and giving back to the community by inspiring others through his heart-transplant story. This tournament also served a secondary purpose, it was a fundraiser that benefited the family from which Irvin’s new heart came. 

To continue Irvin’s vision for this event and remember his impact on the people around him through the game of football, Grecco has spearheaded the tournament’s return with one change. This year’s tournament will see all proceeds directly benefit Irvin’s two daughters, Maya and Kehlani.

“Seeing what Denzel did for my son — there’s no question in my mind that I want to not only continue to be involved with this tournament, but I also want to do whatever I can to help support his girls and stay in their lives,” Grecco said. “That’s how big of an impact he’s had on me and my family. From the second I met Denzel, I knew that he was someone I wanted in my son’s life as a mentor, and he made a tremendous impact on him. … So, if there’s any way that I can pay that back, I’m going to do it, and I figured this tournament’s a good way to start.”

Beyond the impact Irvin had on the Grecco family, one of the biggest motivations for Grecco’s decision to bring the tournament back is the inspiring legacy Irvin left behind from the inaugural event.

“At last year’s tournament, Denzel really set the tone for what this tournament is all about,” Grecco said. “It wasn’t about him or any one person, this is bigger than all of us. We were there to raise funds for the family that gave Denzel his heart, because that was at the core of what the whole tournament was about. It was natural that we would want to keep that at the center of this event, and with this year’s cause hitting much closer to home, it was just a perfect opportunity for everyone from the coaches and players to be a part of giving back to Denzel’s family. Honestly, the kids want more than anything to be a part of that aspect of the tournament.”

Along with raising funds to support the Irvin family, members of the GS Elite team — the team Grecco runs — also will honor their former coach and mentor on the field by donning Irvin’s No. 25 and “In Memory of Coach Zel” on the backs of their jerseys this season. 

“The decision to not only bring back the tournament but to keep this team going was definitely made because we felt that this is exactly what Denzel would have wanted us to do,” Grecco said. “He was really passionate about expanding the 7-on-7 community here and using that to make an impact on kids lives, so in talking with the team, they 100% wanted to move forward and participate this season in Denzel’s honor. … There was zero hesitation from them in those conversations … just seeing their faces in that moment you could see what an impact he had on them.”

For more information on the event email [email protected] and to provide a contribution to the fundraiser visit bit.ly/3RmpI1D.