Rockford Bears headed to the NFL Flag Football Championships in Canton

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — Flag football keeps growing nationally and locally. Now a team of Rockford boys is about to head to Ohio for a major tournament.

Nine guys who play for the Rockford Bears 15U team will be competing in Canton next week at the NFL Flag Football Championships. They will naturally compete in the 15U Division. These young men play in the Rockford Park District Flag Football League. They’re the best of the best.

They’re led by Guilford sophomore quarterback Greyson Weber. There are also players from Jefferson, East and Auburn High Schools and one player from Flinn Middle School. They’re called the Bears because they’re sponsored by the Chicago Bears. They’re the only boys team in Illinois that is sponsored by the Bears. The guys say they are ready to test their skills in Canton.

“You know, here in Rockford, we’ve got our own league at the Park District, and a lot of kids do it,” said Weber. “It’s a lot of fun. We’ve got a lot of people coming out. I think this can be huge for us.”

Weber is appreciative of the support shown by the Chicago Bears and by the NFL.

“We’re really excited. Most of us are fans of the Bears. We love the team. Obviously, it’s really exciting because we’ve got an NFL team that’s looking at us, helping us out.”

“This is a really big opportunity for us and we’re going to make the most of it,” said Rockford Bears receiver and Rockford Jefferson student Deanglos Roby. “I want to thank the Rockford Park District, and I want to thank the NFL for giving us this opportunity to be able to play and show our abilities.”

The Bears don’t just want to show up in Canton, they want to showout.

“Talent is throughout this team, from the coaching staff all the way down to our number nine person on the team,” said head coach Lavar Johnson. “This team will be ready to compete and showout for the 815.”

The Rockford Bears will play three initial games in Canton, and then they’ll be placed in either the winner’s bracket or in the consolation bracket. While they’re in Canton, the boys will also get to check out the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Chicago Bears are paying a big chunk of their expenses.

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