MILWAUKEE — A group of young athletes from Milwaukee's northside are making history as the first team from the city to qualify for the NFL Flag Football Championship in Canton, Ohio.
The SWYFT 8U flag football team, comprised of 8 and 9-year-old players, will compete at the Pro Football Hall of Fame from July 17-20.
"It feels great, being the first team to make it out of Milwaukee to rep for city. It feels good, they are excited to be there, they wake up everyday and talk about it," Mario Johnson, head coach of the team, said.
Watch: Milwaukee youth flag football team seeks community support for national championship
I visited the team during a recent practice after Coach Rio invited me to see the kids in action. The energy on the field was electric as these young athletes prepared for their big moment.
"I been playing with them since I was 7," Jayceon Johnson, an 8-year-old player, said.
"I feel great cause we tryin to go with this ring," Mason Evans, 9, said.
For parents like Creshay Elim, this opportunity represents more than just a sports competition.
"They ready, I'm ready! They said they wanna go to the NFL. We goin!!!" Elim said.
The experience aims to show these young athletes what's possible beyond their neighborhood.
"The main goal, keep em off the street, keep em positive, let them know whatever you put your mind to you can do. There is no limit. Whatever limit you give yourself you can go beyond that," Elim said.
Coach Johnson emphasized the importance of nurturing talent in Milwaukee's inner city.
"It's a lot of talent in the inner city, it's a lot of kids destined for greatness, we just gotta push them we just gotta motivate them," Johnson said.
However, the cost of travel, accommodations, and meals presents a significant challenge for the families. The team has established a GoFundMe campaign to help cover expenses. If you'd like to support the SWYFT team on their journey to Canton, you can find a link to their GoFundMe on our website. - https://gofund.me/3bbccefb
"Everything will go to the kids, travel hotel, eating, all expenses everything goes towards the kids," Johnson said.
"It's a team thing, it takes a village for these babies and these kids," Elim said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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