An annual Maricopa football event honoring the memory of a former MHS player will return next week with a focus on mental health awareness.

The Trey Liermann Memorial Tournament returns for its fourth year on Friday, June 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Maricopa High School. The free event, which features a 7-on-7 and big man competition, is hosted by the Maricopa High School Football Booster Club.

The event coincides with Men’s Health and Mental Health Awareness months. MHS football coach Chris Leon, who was close with Trey, will speak to athletes about mental health and the importance of asking for help.  

“It’s OK to not be OK, and it’s OK to ask for help when you need it,” said Trey’s mother, Amber Liermann. “Coach [Leon] is going to make sure that the kids know a little bit about Trey’s story and what an amazing football player he was.” 

Mental health vendors will also be on site, including Wells Counseling, La Frontera Impact, Flor with Bloom in Grace Counseling and Dr. Tyeasa Jones with the Way Wellness Center. 

In honor of Trey’s 19th birthday, the booster club will accept $19 donations. They will also sell T–shirts and snacks, with proceeds benefiting the Trey Liermann Football Scholarship, which sends local student athletes to football camp each year. 

Liermann said since the event’s inception in 2023, the scholarship has sent at least six football players each year to football camp. She said she hopes to start a cheer clinic next year for teen girls to hear the same mental health message.  

Donations will also be accepted online through the booster club’s website and Facebook page.