Each fall, thousands of youth football teams across the Carolinas begin their quest for a successful season. For a select few, the opportunity is earned to play for a national championship at the Walt Disney World Sports complex or other Florida venues. The Carolinas have produced over three dozen national champions since 1988 in Pop Warner, American Youth Football and other organizations.
"The Carolinas region is well-represented on the national stage each year, said Peter Vacho, Panthers military and football outreach manager. "It's a strong indicator of the quality and depth of youth football in our region."
The opportunity to play for a national championship can create a financial challenge for teams and athletic associations that must fund the cost of travel, meals and lodging. The Carolina Panthers Youth Football Travel Grant was created to provide $5,000 in financial assistance for teams who have earned the lifetime opportunity to play for a championship. The grant funding is available to qualifying teams across the Carolinas.
"The Carolina Panthers understand the financial challenges teams can face when advancing to national championship tournaments," said Vacho. "We are pleased to provide supplemental funding that can help ease the travel expense burden for qualifying teams and help provide youth players the thrill of playing for a national championship."
This season, four teams and one cheer squad shared the $5,000 travel grant funding pool. The Panthers congratulate each of this year's Youth Football Travel Grant recipients for outstanding seasons!
- NC Oregon Ducks
- Cleveland Rams
- Sumter Spartans
- Winston-Salem Tiny Indians
- Greensboro Ravens Cheer Squad
