When the Robbins Eagles youth soccer group was based in 1983, it was seen as a solution to “give kids something to do and to give them the chance we didn’t have,” in response to Bernard Ward, who helped begin this system.
Now, on the fortieth anniversary of the group’s founding, the Eagles will play on the nationwide stage because the group advances to the American Youth Football League championship in Naples, Florida.
“They are going to represent the whole Midwest,” Ward mentioned at a pep rally Tuesday. “It’s the best investment we ever made.”
They can be in Florida concurrently the Dixmoor Vikings are fielding two groups vying for the title within the Pop Warner Super Bowl in Orlando.
Vikings coach Dwayne Tyson will deliver a group that got here in second eventually yr’s competitors, falling shy of the title primarily as a result of he and another coaches and gamers got here down with the flu on the final minute.
“We had big expectations from the get go” this season, Tyson mentioned at a pep rally Tuesday for the group at Thornton High School in Harvey.
“I’m so proud of these guys with their mindset,” Tyson mentioned. “This is just a great feeling.”
The 11-U and 10-teams will go away Thursday and spend 9 days in Florida, although they’re nonetheless working to give you the estimated $60,000 the journey will value.
They held a fundraising banquet and now have a GoFundMe web page to lift cash, and Tyson mentioned the group has been beneficiant in supporting the Vikings.
“This is a passion project, it’s not just about the wins and the losses,” Tyson mentioned.
Matthew Webb, who performs proper sort out for the 11-and-under squad that missed out on the title final yr, mentioned they are going to be prepared for this yr’s problem.
“I know our team can do it,” Webb mentioned.
His dad, Timothy, the Vikings’ offensive coordinator, mentioned they hope is to herald sufficient contributions so gamers’ dad and mom could make the journey to observe the video games.
“Raising that money will make it a lot easier for everybody,” he mentioned.
Justin Harris, head coach for the Eagles, mentioned his 13-U squad will go away Friday for Florida, and can be down there seven days. They’re estimating the journey will value about $30,000, and greater than $13,000 was donated to the Eagles throughout a pep rally Tuesday in Robbins.
“The guys are excited, the community is excited,” Harris mentioned. “I know it’s football but it brought the whole community together.”
The Eagles had been undefeated within the common season, then beat groups from Ohio and Missouri this month to advance to the nationwide degree.
“We are not just representing Illinois, we are representing the whole Midwest region,” Harris mentioned.
In his fifteenth yr as coach, Harris mentioned the Eagles haven’t misplaced a daily season sport since 2018, however has stumbled prior to now on the trail to the nationwide playoffs.
“We always fall short in the regionals,” Harris mentioned. “It’s the first time the team has made it to nationals. It’s a pretty big deal.”
Robbins Mayor Darren Bryant mentioned the village was giving a verify for $5,000 to the group, and the Blue Island-Robbins Neighborhood Network additionally introduced a verify for $5,000.
Bryant additionally introduced village plans for a park that can embody a $2 million synthetic turf soccer area with lights and grandstands that the Eagles could use. He mentioned the village is getting grant funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the park, which can be at one hundred and thirty fifth Street and Claire Boulevard.
The group now has to host video games at highschool soccer fields, together with Eisenhower High School in Blue Island and Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Ward mentioned.
“It’s the first time we’ve ever had a home field,” he mentioned.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com