TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s running back Rachaad White, among other NFL coaches, former and current players, participated at the third annual “Sandlot 7v7 Tournament Pro-Am Challenge” over the weekend at the Tournament SportsPlex of Tampa Bay.
White, along with Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson, led a group of 80 young players at the Girls Skills Showcase, where players from 8-18 years old played for a chance to win the championship title, according to a news release.
Among them were those from the Tampa Police Athletic League’s girl's flag football team, Lady Storm, who “learned about themselves, their team and the game,” according to a Tampa Police Department Facebook post.
As part of the Tampa Police Department-created nonprofit, the team’s mentors, coaches and partners teach core values including commitment, honor, integrity and courage to more than 500 Tampa Bay youth, according to its website.
It also provides affordable after-school, summer and athletic opportunities to the Tampa Bay area’s youth.
The weekend’s event presents itself as an opportunity for former and current NFL players to give back to their communities, the release said.
“This event is fundamentally driven by the players and their commitment to see the next generation of talent succeed on and off the field,” NFL Players Association VP of Player Services Dexter Santos said in a statement.
Championship titles are awarded to teams from around the country playing in 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 15U and 18U divisions.
“We see teams traveling to Tampa from around the country because they know Sandlot is where they’ll find the toughest, most elite competition,” NFL veteran Abe Elam said in a statement.
