CHICAGO - A local football team of kids seven and under is headed to the nationals.
They just need a little help to get there.
What we know:
The Midwest Hawks BabyHawks 7U football team is the best in their division in Illinois after winning at the state level.
"We started out at 6U with 27 players. 21 of those players had never played football before," said head coach Bert Kenerson.
And the mighty group out of Country Club Hills has earned the chance to compete in the national championship in Florida.
It’s one of the biggest stages in youth football.
"And we were heavily doubted, but due to dedication and hard work, we overcame," Kenerson said.
He added, "I believe if you put anyone in a situation where they have to learn how to grow and adapt, they'll do just that. So we don't treat them like 7-year-olds."
But taking the entire team to travel is costly.
Now the team needs some help to make it to the next stage.
The travel, lodging, meals, and overall cost to get to Florida is adding up. The coaches say they're taking some players, but not everyone can afford to get there.
"We try to do everything that we can to close the gap. But sometimes it just doesn't work," Kenerson said. "And we do have to leave athletes behind, which is ultimately not the best situation that we I don't make do."
They hope they can pull out a financial win for their Baby Hawks of between $12,000 and $15,000. They say it's bigger than football at this point. It's about showing the players, including their own, that hard work pays off.
"Everybody is gonna say they have the best team, but I honestly feel like we have the best team," Coach Camron Anderson said. "Not just about football but getting our guys ready for life."
"We try to do everything we can to close the gap, but sometimes it just doesn't work, and we have to leave athletes behind, which is ultimately not the best situation we want to be in, but we try to make do," said Kenerson.
What's next:
The team has set up a "99 Pledges" account to raise money. To learn more about the fundraiser, visit FOX 32's Dawn Hasbrouck's Facebook page and look in the comments of her post about this story.
The Midwest Hawks Babyhawks team leaves Dec. 6 for nationals and will be there if they get the help, from Dec. 7 through Dec. 13.
"Anything that anyone can do will be a blessing," Kenerson said. "It's all about experiences. I wanna provide the best experience for these young men as early as 7 years old, as early at 6 years old because what this does is it motivates them and it provides a foundation for life."
The Source: Fox 32's Dawn Hasbrouck conducted interviews with Midwest Hawks Babyhawks coaches Camron Anderson and Bert Kenerson for this report.