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ST. TAMMANY NEWS

PEARL RIVER - There's almost 2,000 miles separating the communities of Palos Verdes, Calif., and Pearl River, La.. Palos Verdes, a peninsula in Southern California, overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Pearl River is nestled in the piney woods of Southeast Louisiana, just north of Slidell. But an upcoming youth football trip is bringing the distant communities much closer together.
On Thanksgiving day, the Pearl River Eagles and Palos Verdes 49ers, teams comprised of 10- to 12-year-olds will play a game in California that promises to ascend above the sport and show the compassion that one American community can have for another.

It all started with a phone call from 49ers coach Marc Mills.

"He called me about a month and a half ago and asked me of the possibilities of it," said Virgil Phillips, coach of the Eagles.

With the devastation of Hurricane Katrina still fresh, an invitation to play (airfare included) in California was a spark of light during a dark time.
 

"I need to go buy a lottery ticket," Phillips said, comparing the seemingly random phone call to winning the jackpot.

It was Katrina, however, that was at the root of the opportunity.

Considering the hurricane's devastation, Mills, along with his wife, whose family is from Louisiana, began to think about what it would be like to lose so much, including youth football.

Some of the players' families and coaches on the Eagles team lost everything, others had to drop out of the program and three weeks of the Eagles' season was cancelled.

"We thought about how special our team was," Mills said.

Youth football teaches so much to the players involved, Mills said, including how to plan, prepare and execute.

"We thought that if there's any way to preserve that," Mills said, then it was worth it.

And, "It's been great for our kids," he said, describing all the effort his team and their families have put into organizing the trip.

The 49ers 10- to 12-year-olds are taking what they do on the field - planning, preparing, executing - and using those skills off the field. California players' families are hosting Louisiana players and really going all-out to make the trip a success for everyone, Mills said.

The schedule for the Pearl River youth football players has them arriving in Los Angeles Wednesday, then heading over to a meet and greet as well as dinner. After spending the night with host families, they'll wake up Thanksgiving Day and head over to Palos Verdes Peninsula High School's football field to prepare for the 1 p.m. game.

The 49ers coach doesn't have a prediction on how the score might turn out.

"We haven't exchanged intelligence," Mills said, adding he's looking forward to a good matchup.

After the game, players and families head to a church in Palos Verdes for Thanksgiving Dinner. On Friday they're scheduled to go to a theme park, Knott's Berry Farm, and a harbor cruise off the coast. The Pearl River football players will return home Saturday.

The American Youth Football Association, which both the Eagles and 49ers are a member of, helped Mills find a team. The 49ers coach contacted other teams before Pearl River, but they weren't able to go by Thanksgiving. But when Phillips got the call, he jumped right on it.

"I really can't say enough about the people in California," said Phillips, who travels to the Golden State along with 17 players and four assistant coaches. Some of the Pearl River players' families are also traveling.

After the Eagles' coach spoke with Mills, the whole situation seemed too good to be true, Phillips said. But he knew the opportunity was too big to pass up.

Since then, Pearl River players have been corresponding with their opponents in California via mail, e-mail and over the phone.

And for many of them, just getting on an airplane will be a first.

"I haven't ever been on a plane," said Pearl River center Hunter DeJean.

Hunter said he talked to the center on the Palos Verdes team about the California community's coastal environment.

"How you can go the beach and put a foot in the ocean," Hunter said.

Of course, Hunter points out, that's similar to going to a beach here near the Gulf of Mexico. Still, though, he is looking forward to seeing the Pacific Ocean.

Linebacker Robby Daigre has talked to his California counterpart, also a linebacker, "about what we could do when we get there," he said.

Robby said he also let his host family know what kind of food he likes best - pizza.

Of course they'll also be feasting on Thanksgiving food Thursday, but what Robby is looking forward to most is pretty simple.

"Just having fun in California, and meeting my buddy," he said.

Even though Palos Verdes is taking care of many of the expenses, Phillips said he is seeking donations from the local community to cover expenses such as lodging, food and other incidentals. An account (No. 20424255594) has been set up at Hibernia under the name Pearl River Youth Football (bowl game).

"It's a time right now, we're getting a lot of support," Phillips said, adding he appreciates the efforts of the community and the Pearl River Youth Football Association.

What is Phillips looking forward to most on this trip?

"Seventeen smiling faces," he said. "And so many memories, they'll last a lifetime."