GILBERT, AZ — The players of the Arizona Heat might only be 10 and 11 years old, but they are making a name for themselves. They'll even have to prove they've kept up their grades to play in the big championship event.
They were undefeated this season and now the team is heading to the American Youth Football Championship in Florida next Monday.
"I'm excited because all the great teams from all over the United States get to come play and we're one of those teams," says Ahmad Jones, an Arizona Heat football player.
They have put in so much hard work to get to this point, making their head coach very proud.
"They dominated since we've been here. They won all pre-season games, swept the regular season… facing very tough opponents in the championships in both the regular season and the sub-regionals," says head coach Bart Williams.
The regional win last weekend qualified them to represent Arizona on the national stage.
"My goal is to at least make some people fall on the ground, make some good blocks, maybe even a touchdown block or something," says Anthony Dominguez, one of the players.
Eleven-year-old Dominguez plays defensive-end and tight-end. His father will be heading with him to Florida to watch him play.
"At the end of the day, I want you to remember this: be humble and have fun," says Dominguez's father.
The team was out practicing at Discovery District Park in Gilbert on Monday.
These young boys aren't just incredible on the field — they shine off the field, as well.
"Probably the thing we're most proud of here, is out of these 25 athletes, we carry a 3.3 GPA," says Coach Williams.
If you would like to support them on their journey, go to their website or check out their GoFundMe fundraiser.
