Unbeaten in the regular season, the Gary Steelers won their regional championship on Friday.   That earned the group of pre-teen and teenage boys got an invitation to the Pop Warner Super Bowl in Florida this weekend.

Coach Scott Kaletha, is proud of his team, made up mostly of low income boys from Gary and the surrounding area.

“They come from a wide variety of range of background,” he said.  “They’ve come together and meshed as a team and I find that one of the reasons why we’re so successful. “

But before they can go to Florida, the group of boys, ages 11 to 14, need to win at different game, a grown up game.  They need to get $23,000 more dollars raised to get all 21 of their players to the tournament at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports at Disney World.  And they need to raise that money by tomorrow.

“How can anyone expect a team, kids, to come up with that kind of money in just a matter of a few days? “ said Coach Kaletha.

Off the field, the boys tried to raise the cash, but only got to $7000.

Coach Scott says he won’t give up.  He can’t, because the kids won’t.

“I do talk with the other coaches and they’re in the same predicament as we are,” he said. “There’s no way I cannot let it happen for those boys.”