Pop Warner team looks for help to fulfill Super Bowl hopes
Grassroots crowdsourcing effort started to fund trip costs
If the Asbury Park Pop Warner Midget Football Team wins their next game they are going to Disney World — but only if they can raise enough funds to get there first.
As of Wednesday they have collected $2,105 of $30,000 needed through a crowdfunding campaign on the fundraising website GoFundMe to cover the costs of transportation and meal costs to compete in the Pop Warner Superbowl at Walt Disney World in Florida the week of Dec. 6-13.
Over half of the cost comes from a mandatory 3-night stay in the park itself, said Head Coach Robert Taylor. After the required stay, the team will move to a 6-night timeshare he has on hold should they keep advancing. The total cost of the timeshare is $3,000. The rest of the money will pay for airfare, rail or bus transportation to and from the airports, and for meals for the 21 players, five coaches and two team moms, he said.
If they can’t raise the total amount of funds, they simply won’t go, he said, and if they lose this Friday all of the finds collected so far will be donated to the Asbury Park Pop Warner program.
“They have been waiting for this moment their whole life,” he said. “This is the chance of a lifetime for these kids, they are good kids and they worked really hard for this.”
The team is undefeated [10-0] this season and boasts some impressive stats. No one has scored on their defense yet, and that same defense has allowed just eight first downs, he said, and the offense averages 35 points per game.
Taylor graduated from Asbury Park High and was the school’s first running back to rush over 1,000 yards.
He said the boys have been playing together since their Mitey Mite days and credits their success to dedication, respect, focus, and knowledgeable coaches — especially Kenny Wilson, the team’s offensive and defensive coordinator.
“He’s the best there is,” Taylor said.
The team’s next game is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 28 at Camden Catholic High School, 300 Cuthbert Blvd, Cherry Hill. Kickoff is at noon.
Click here to donate to the team’s GoFundMe campaign.
[Photo at top taken by team photographer Barsheen.]
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