8-year-olds to represent El Paso in youth football nationals

EL PASO, Texas -- The football season is nearing its end, but one local youth team still has big plans for the year.

The Southeast T-birds will be representing El Paso against the whole nation in just one month.

After finishing the season undefeated these 8-year-olds are going straight to nationals and they need all the time on the field they can get.

“We got a month. I don’t see it as a month, I actually see it as nine practices before it’s off to the big show. Every practice is crucial, we gotta keep intensity,” said Coach Manny Delgado.

Practice has not always come easy to them. This past September their partner team for 6 year olds lost their coach, Joseph Gomez. He died in a car crash.

“That day we had a little vigil for him and you could see it in their eyes. I’m not gonna lie, that whole week practice was like after the mass shooting on August 3. We were so close, and it just wasn’t the same,” Coach Manny said.

Still, this team pushed through. The children shared what it has taken to get to this point, like the techniques and going through the techniques and going over and over, trying to do them over and over again.

They’re also asking for help to actually be able to take all these kids to the national tournament in Florida.

“We’re still a little short of where our goal is. We’ve fundraised enough for flights, now we need room and board,” Coach Manny said.

It’s their first year with this category and they’re all going with the same hope and goal.

“I have so much confidence that we’re gonna win and get first place in the nationals,” said Gino Mata, a left and right guard.

The T-birds are asking for fundraising help to pay for the trip expenses. You can help them by donating to their GoFundMe by following this link.