Updated: 11/20/2009 7:19 PM KSTP.com | Print |  Email
By: Becky Nahm & Tom Hauser

Mpls. Teams Needs Help Writing Cinderella Story

An inner-city youth football team that helped revitalize a Minneapolis park now needs the help of the community to write the ending to a true Cinderella story.

The Phelps Falcons, a team of 13- and 14-year-olds, formed within the last year, and so far they're undefeated.

The team practices at Phelps Park at E 39th Street and Chicago Ave. S.

For years, no organized athletic or community programs took place at the park.

Falcons coach Jim Halbur said, "Before it was just a dark park, not very inviting and a lot of people maybe didn't even feel safe."

Halbur is a pastor at a nearby church who helps run the Phelps Activities Council, a non-profit group formed to organize youth programs at the park.

One of the players on the team, Corban Halbur, said, "It means a whole lot to the neighbors to see that there's livelihood down here and there's a lot of good things going on."

While some might have predicted the boost to the community, few could've foreseen the success the team would achieve.

Recently the Falcons won a regional Amateur Athletic Union tournament and were invited to compete in a national tournament in Florida.

Team member Anthony Anderson said, "It means a lot to us because this is pretty much our first year doing something like this. It will be a good experience for us to show everybody that we're a community park and we can do just the same as everybody else."

But the team can only make the trip if they raise $25,000

Ty Rehm, another player, is confident they can reach their goal.

Rehm said, "I feel a lot of pride in doing this, because we have the state of Minnesota almost on our back and that's a lot of pride."

For information on how to donate, log on to phelpsfalcons.org