Vegas trip a rewarding experience for Pittsburgh Elite youth flag football teams

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Sunday, February 20, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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Changing venues for the NFL Flag Bowl didn’t sour the experience for members of the Pittsburgh Elite flag football program.

Instead, having the event moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas provided some good opportunities for the four teams that qualified. The Pittsburgh Elite team, which featured 9U, 11U, 12U and 13U, ended up stumbling onto a chance opportunity.

While they were in Las Vegas, the kids were given tickets to attend the Shrine Bowl or Pro Bowl. Most of them ended up going to the Pro Bowl. A few even ended up bumping into former Pitt standout James Conner, who represented the Arizona Cardinals in the game.

“I went to both,” said Cooper, who is the commissioner of Pittsburgh Elite. “The kids mostly went to the Pro Bowl. A few of our 9U kids ended up bumping into James Conner on the street and ended up getting a picture with him.”

Pittsburgh Elite, which sent 35 players to the competition, is made up of kids from Monroeville, Penn Hills and Plum. The families of the players were able to raise money for the trip through fundraising or by covering the cost on their own. Cooper estimated the trip cost at roughly $3,000 per family.

All four of the Pittsburgh Elite teams that made the trip made it through pool play. The 9U team lost in the first round of the playoffs. The 11 and 13U teams advanced to the quarterfinals, while the 12U team reached the semifinals.

The event was played the same weekend as the Pro Bowl.

“The experience was great,” Cooper said. “It was our first time at that level and to qualify and earn our way there was special. To be one of 12 teams at the event was monumental. We want to learn from what we did and try to earn our way back next year.”

Cooper also learned things off the field from planning such a trip.

He’s hoping to grow the organization and now knows what it’s like to try to coordinate a trip to nationals.

“We are hoping to get more sponsors and do some fundraisers to help the kids raise money to go to nationals,” Cooper said. “We had a few options where parents could help work concessions at Heinz Field. We want to get the word out and help support our mission.”