Sports
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
SPORTS 33
The Chandler Bears youth football team is preparing to head to Florida once again to take on a national field in hopes of being crowned the champion. (Courtesy Kacey Allen)
Chandler Bears preparing for national title run in Florida BY JAKE HEDEBY Arizonan Staff Writer
T
he Chandler Bears are a force to be reckoned with in the American Youth Football league in Arizona. This group of 12-year-olds know each other very well, but they are also very familiar with winning. A core group of them have played football together since they were 6 years old and have been crowned state champions five years in a row. Following a year off because of the pandemic, the Bears are right back where they started. The Division One AYF team won the 2021 state championship and is headed to Florida for the national tournament. They have already been named national champions once there, back in 2018. They now look to come out on top again. Coach Kacey Allen shared that he has been with the team since it started and coaching this age is all about the basics and playing together. That’s what makes this team successful.
The team already has some accolades. But that’s not because there are only two or three players dominating their opponent. This team has been competitive for a reason and they worked hard to be one of the best in Arizona year in and year out. “Our main philosophy is to teach team football, selfless football,” Allen said. “I think that is really what has helped keep the attrition low.” This becomes pivotal when looking at the longevity success the Bears have shown. And although high school is less than a few years away for these middle schoolers, the focus is on this team, what they can accomplish and what each kid takes away from his years playing youth football. When asked about the future for these players, he kept it honest. “We think about it, but we don’t have a plan yet,” Allen said. “We’re still open to whatever we feel is going to be best for the boys.” Parents are not lacking involvement with the Bears, as they are a big part of what makes the team run: from each par-
ent taking their kid to practice to those who volunteer to help on game days. Not only are they there for support and guidance, but these parents are also why these young athletes have the opportunity to travel out of state and play football against tough competition. Everything takes money, and they have to fundraise throughout each season to prepare for the travel expenses. “That’s always the challenge every year is to raise funds,” Allen said. “It’s a collective effort from all the parents to do multiple fundraisers.” The team raises money by selling tickets to Suns games and raffles. Other funds come from donations on the team website. Every dollar is used to take the team to Florida in December. The logistics of getting the whole team to the other side of the country shows it isn’t just an ordinary game or tournament for the Bears. They travel together as a team and rent vans in order to get from the airport to the houses they stay in. One year, the
team stayed in a house with 10 different rooms. All of the travel and living they do as a unit really adds to the camaraderie between not only the players, but their family members too. “A lot of these people would have never met if it wasn’t for our team, and now they are like family,” Allen said. The trip is more than worth the cost, as it is an experience that will be a fond memory for years to come. Traveling and competition bring these families together that will make lifelong bonds, and to these parents, there is no price tag that would deter them. With everything that this team has done and will do, they almost feel like more than a youth football team. It speaks volumes as far as what athletics can do for kids and the environment it can create. “I say it every year, at the beginning of the season we have expectations,” Allen said. “By the time we get to the end of the season, we tend to exceed those expectations.”
