FREMONT -- What would you do if you saw an elderly man being robbed and assaulted? Police say that the question that a youth football team was faced with Wednesday night while practicing in a Fremont park. It only took moments for the team members to spring into action.

Irvington Park in Fremont is the practice field for the Patriots of the Fremont Football League. The team went on the offense to help an elderly man who was being robbed and assaulted.

The 22 members of the Patriots -- ages 11 to 14 -- were working out again Thursday afternoon. They were in the park Wednesday evening when they saw the crime take place.

"I just seen these two guys walking up to an old man and pull him down from his camera strap, and the old man started hitting him [and] called us to help," remembered 13-years-old Patriot team member Lafaele "Junior" Siliake.

Police say two teenage boys, 15 and 17 years old, knocked down a 71-year-old man and ran off with his camera. Taylor Leota led the charge as the whole football team took off after the two suspects.

"At first they were jogging," explained the 13-year-old Leota. "After they see the team coming, they started sprinting. I would have been scared too seeing a football team chasing me; especially one of us."

The team chased the suspects to a nearby house until the police came. The pair was arrested. Police say a Taser was used on the 17-year-old when he reached in his waistband.

"I'm very proud of them, but at the same time I was scared because you don't know. Teenagers these days they can have a weapon and just turn around and start going crazy on these boys," said Lucima Leota, Taylor's mother.

"And last night they didn't show that; they just wanted to help him and get the elderly man's camera back.

KTVU found the victim Thursday night with his returned camera. 71-year-old Ming Liang suffered some bruises in the struggle with his assailants.

"I was surprised the whole football team help the senior people and do the right thing," said Liang. "So very helpful. I want to thank them again; thank you very much."

Thursday night, the Patriot's coach met with parents to assure them while he is proud of his team for their actions, he has told them not to do it again. Instead run for a cell phone and call police first instead of running after suspects.

"It's not only about football. It's about making a chapter in these children's lives to become better men," says Patriot coach Reggie Sweat. "So they're not the ones stealing people's cameras and stuff like that."

The patriots are taking steps to find another practice field. There is gang graffiti here and the team doesn't want anymore confrontations. And while the patriots have yet to win a football game this season, many would argue that these young men are already winners.