The teams are flying into Las Vegas on Wednesday and will compete over the course of two days culminating with a trip Sunday to the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl game. Two teams from Weequahic Park and one team from West Side Park will be competing in the tournament this week, offering the young athletes a trip they will surely never forget.

“I am incredibly proud of the young athletes from Newark who will be playing in the Flag Football Tournament in Las Vegas,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo told TAPinto Newark. “These young athletes learned the game on fields in our county parks and will be competing against players from around the country. I wish them the best of luck and look forward to them serving as ambassadors of our great city and county.”

The flag football program brings together the NFL and community partners from Essex County, the Weequahic Park Sports Authority (WPSA), and local organizations such as United Community Corporation (UCC) to get youth involved. The program provides youngsters the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of flag football and skill training as well as valuable lessons in sportsmanship, teamwork, and discipline.

The program also brings education into focus for the young athletes. Although the teams will be across the country this week, WPSA President Doug Freeman noted that the young athletes will still be required to complete their school work.

With the WPSA driving flag football programs in the area since 2013, Freeman reflected on how much the league has grown and what it means to the athletes.