KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thousands of young athletes play flag football year-round across the Kansas City metro.
However, there’s only one team that gets to call themselves the Chiefs, and that’s because they earned it.
Known as The Shockers, the Greater Kansas City YMCA youth flag football team worked hard to be able to apply and win to represent the Kansas City Chiefsin the big leagues.
In July, the high school-aged boys were selected to play as ‘The Chiefs’ in the NFL Flag Football Championships.
“It is kind of surreal at some points I’m playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, I’ve been a huge fan my whole life. I hope one day to play tackle there in the NFL,” said Gavin Otto, 15 years old, who attends Olathe East. “I feel like it's special, because not everybody in the world gets to do this you know.”
“No matter what the score is they are going to give it their all,” said Coach Kayson Matthews, Senior Sports Director for the Kansas City YMCA.
Matthews will tell you it’s because these boys have played together for years.
“They were to my knees when I first started and now, I’m the one who has to take a knee when we take a group photo,” Matthews said.
Matthews says the team bonded through the Kansas City YMCA.
“They started off as a random group of kids that needed a coach, now they mean the world to me,” Matthews said.
It also means they’re really good, always chasing championships.
“We’ve played in D.C., Las Vegas, Green Bay, Detroit, Washington D.C. and Arrowhead Stadium,” said 15-year-old Gavin Otto, who attends Olathe East.
This flag football team got to play where their role models step onto GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
“Seeing how many seats are in the stadium is just really surreal to me Wow I’m playing in the Arrowhead Stadium,” Otto said.
“You can just see all the names across the stadium on the rows,” said Jordyn Berry, 15-years-old, who attends Blue Valley North. "The first time I was there it was really exciting, I balled out."
The team also got to attend the Kansas City Chiefs Spring Training in St. Joseph, meeting the players.
But for Matthews, he says it’s all about getting together.
Matthews says he grew up in the YMCA system, too, looking up to his youth coaches.
“I just want to keep them out of trouble give them something to do,” he said. “I feel like when kids have too much free time that’s when they get into issues and the wrong crowd.”
His athletes know the drill.
“I think the most special part about coach is he’s not just a coach,” one player said. “He’s a friend, a mentor. He commands respect. When he raises his voice then everyone listens, because he only does it once a year. It’s special when he raises his voice. when he does we know we have to focus and lock in.”
In July the team beat out the ‘Broncos’, ‘Raiders’ and ‘Chargers’ winning the NFL Flag Football division and narrowly lost to the ‘Houston Texans by one point.
The team will soon play in Orlando, Florida in February for the NFL Pro Bowl Flag Football games.
If you’re interested in learning more about Flag Football, click here.
