East Bay Bucs To Play at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday

For most youth football players in Tampa Bay, the dream of walking out of the tunnel at Raymond James Stadium and playing on a professional football field is just that; a dream.

For the East Bay Buccaneers Super Midget team, it's about to become a reality.

The organization made it all the way to the Super Bowl during the Gulf Coast Youth Football Conference season, where they lost to Wesley Chapel. Despite the loss, the group of 7- and 8-year-olds had already earned a trip back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' pro stadium to take on the Dover Patriots because they were the best team from Hillsborough County in their age group. The game will be at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10.

"The Tampa Bay Sports Commission organizes this game and it's really a great thing for the kids," East Bay Bucs Super Midget assistant coach and league president Jason Hillman said. "The kids are very excited because they thought they had to win the Super Bowl in order to play at Raymond James. We didn't tell them before the game that we had already made it, but after we lost we told them, and they all got really excited about it again.

"It's a big thrill for them to play on the same field as the professionals they look up to and run out of that tunnel. We're all looking forward to it."

In the past, Hillman has made it to the stadium with a team that he has coached, but never with his son, Levi, 7, being a part of the team. A big part of the thrill of this trip to Tampa Bay's football mecca is the fact that he'll watch his son take the field.

"This is a big moment for him to play on that field, and it's awesome for me to see him do it," Hillman said. "This is actually my third trip coaching a team in the Gameday of Champions, but I'm really looking forward to this one because of my son. Winning this proves you're one of the best in this part of the state so it really means a lot for the players and the organization as a whole."

Parents are equally as excited about the opportunity for their kids to have the chance to go on a tour of the stadium where they will see the locker room, pirate ship and press box.

Sonny Thompson Sr. didn't get to join his son, Sonny Jr., on the tour last year but is looking forward to seeing the stadium like the pros get to.

"I'm as excited as some of the boys because some of them did it last year," Thompson said. "The kids have worked really hard to get to this point, and all of us parents can't wait to see it because a lot of these kids may never have the chance to play in a stadium like that again."

Thompson echoed the sentiment of others in the East Bay organization in recognizing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for opening up their home and allowing kids to participate in a game at their world class facility.

"I think it's a wonderful thing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are doing letting the kids have this day," Thompson said. "It really says that they want to be a part of this community and give back."