The Cesar Chavez football team will open its season on the road in a place no one would have guessed; Anchorage, Alaska.

 

Cesar Chavez will be hosted by East Anchorage High School on Aug. 17.

 

Cesar Chavez athletic director Leonard Doerfler came up with the idea. He has been going to Alaska every summer for the past 19 years to attend the All Alaska Football Camp.

 

“A lot of these top schools get to play out of state, but they usually go to Nevada or California, and I thought ‘Well, let’s go to Alaska,” Doerfler said.

 

When Doerfler talked about the plan to head coach Manny Alcantar, he was all for the idea.

 

“I was shocked and excited, but I thought it was a joke,” Alcantar said. “We’re the first team in Arizona to go to Alaska, no one’s ever done it, so to be the first one to do it is cool.”

 

The football players are looking forward to seeing new things and trying new foods, but mostly excited to play their game in a new state.

 

“When I first heard about it I thought, ‘Alaska? That’s crazy, that’s far,’” said junior linebacker Andrew Blitzke. “At first I was kind of timid and thinking ‘that’s too far,’ but when I saw where we were going to play I thought it was pretty cool. I’m excited.”

 

While all the details of the trip have been planned, the last task that needs to be checked off the to-do list is to raise all the money to make everything possible.

 

Doerfler’s connections with other coaches in Alaska helps the team financially. The football team will be sleeping in a high school gym which is going to beneficial since hotel fees will not be something to worry about.

 

Something that isn’t going to be covered is the transportation.

 

“The biggest thing is going to be tax credits in Arizona,” Doerfler said. “Singles can donate up to $200 for extracurricular activities, and if you file jointly you can donate $400. One hundred percent of that is refundable through the state taxes.”

 

Cesar Chavez is going to plan a golf tournament fundraiser in May and have online fundraisers which will start in a few weeks Doerfler said.

 

“For the kids to say they played a football game out in Alaska where nobody has is cool and I’m excited for that,” Alcantar said. “I think it is important that all the kids get that experience.”

 

The kids will fly in to Alaska on Tuesday, Aug 14. On Wednesday, they will take a three-hour drive along the ocean and mountains to Soldotna High School where they will stay the night and practice. The football players will also get an Alaskan feast with halibut, bear, salmon, and moose.

 

Friday is when they will travel to East Anchorage High School to play the game.

 

Last season the Champions went 7-4 overall and 5-0 in section while East Anchorage High School went 8-2 overall and 5-0 in section last year. The Thunderbirds were a top 10-ranked team .

 

Neither team played out of state or played a team from outside their state last season, so this game will be something new for all players on the field.

 

Aug. 17 is when the Champions will take on the Thunderbirds.

 

“We’re going to win. That’s just our confidence,” Blitzke said.