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The Redwood City 49ers 13-and-under football team is headed to North Carolina to compete in the Pop Warner Super Bowl.The team, however, is seeking to raise $40,000 to pay for every player’s travel expenses.
Throughout the season, the team of 32 players were seen as the underdogs in the league but rose to become the top team in Northern California, said line coach Phil Howard. As the boys prepare for the Super Bowl, parents are asking for the community’s support in raising enough money to cover travel, lodging and food costs for the entire team.
Howard said the Redwood City 49ers 13U team has never made it to the Super Bowl or the playoffs. Flying on a plane is a first for many.
Dre Divivas, the team’s middle linebacker and running back, said after winning the championship game, he was in shock for two days. He’s been playing with the Redwood City 49ers for seven years and described the team as a brotherhood.
“For my son, I’m very grateful that he has pushed so hard through all the injuries this season and all the obstacles,” said Dre’s mother, Evelyn. “He’s never given up and he continues to push forward. After seven years, he’s finally getting this very once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
For Ben Kwiatkowski, one of the quarterbacks, the momentous season marks the first year he’s played with the team. Despite being new, he said his teammates welcomed him with open arms.
“There’s just a camaraderie among the boys that I’ve never seen anything like. Ben has made great friends, and they all care about each other and they’re lifting each other up,” said his mother Mercedes.
Howard, who played college football at Arizona State, said he is honored to be able to volunteer his time to teach the players about the life lessons that can be learned through the sport.
“I love what it teaches about young men, character and about how life can be painful and sometimes exciting,” said Howard. “(Football) teaches resilience, respect and teamwork.”
The players have been practicing since the summer and experienced their first loss against the Santa Clara Lions in a scrimmage game, said Howard. As the team moved forward into the season, they beat every team, except for the East Bay Warriors — a team they had never beaten in the six years they have played against them.
Progressing into the final games, the Redwood City 49ers overcame their biggest challenges by beating Santa Clara in the playoffs and the East Bay Warriors in the championship game.
While the team is overjoyed by the upcoming trip to North Carolina, some parents are overwhelmed by the cost.
“The (Redwood City 49ers) are from a humble community where most families are significantly economically challenged, yet that never stops them from giving their time and support to these kids,” it says on the team’s GoFundMe page.
“Every single kid on this team has contributed to them making it this far, and so it’s really important to all of us that every kid can be there to play, and that finances aren’t the reason that they can’t come,” said Mercedes Kwiatkowski. “It would be heartbreaking if any of the boys couldn’t make it because of that.”
The Redwood City 49ers are set to play in the Super Bowl on Dec. 7.
As of Nov. 24, the team has raised $14,925 and continues to ask for the community’s support.
For more information about the fundraiser, visit gofundme.com/f/help-rc-49ers-13u-reach-the-national-championship.
