OAKLAND, Calif. – A group of young Oakland athletes is on its way to North Carolina for a national championship football event, but the team needs help getting there.
The East Bay Warriors Organization is a non-profit in West Oakland intended to impart to youth the principles of sportsmanship, and its football team is raising money to compete against other regional champions in the Pop Warner Super Bowl that runs from December 6 to December 13 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
East Bay Warriors Coach Ron Robertson said the team is looking to the community to help raise at least $40,000 in order for the team to travel to and stay in North Carolina for the event.
Robertson said many of the boys on the team come from single-parent households or from families that otherwise struggle financially.
“We absolutely need help from the community to make sure these kids are able to play in this tournament,” Robertson said.
Most of the team has played together for the past four years, and Roberton said this iteration of the Pop Warner National Championships is particularly important for the boys since it will be their last time playing in the event before they head off to high school.
“It’s going to be like a goodbye, because we’re not probably going to see each other that much anymore,” said East Bay Warriors linebacker Roman Robertson.
 “I want to see my whole entire team win,” said East Bay Warriors guard Zebuloa Durkbe. “We’re trying to raise money for us to get more of our players on the plane so they can experience this for their last year.”
As of Saturday afternoon, the team’s GoFundMe has raised just over $9,100 of its $40,000 goal.