Gauchos youth team in Super Bowl vs. Snoop Dogg’s squad

Getting to the Snoop Youth Football League’s Super Bowl has been the goal for the Gauchos Youth Football 12-and-under Peewee team since it started practice on Aug. 3.

It was a goal not only for the chance at the title but also the opportunity to play a team coached by rapper and actor Snoop Dogg.

The Merced team (9-1) will face Snoop Dogg’s Diamond Valley Steelers at Veterans Memorial Stadium at Long Beach City College at 4 p.m. Saturday.

“The kids are stoked,” said Keith Ducey, who is the Gauchos Youth Football president. “The biggest thing is, early on we sold it to them that if they came together as a team, kept moving forward and working hard, the ultimate goal was the Super Bowl. Not only are they playing in the Super Bowl, but it’s against Snoop’s team. He’s involved as a coach and on the sideline.”

The Gauchos earned their way to Long Beach after winning two playoff games. They opened the playoffs with a 24-6 win over the Hayward Earthquakes at Chabot College. The Gauchos returned to Chabot the following week to defeat the Daly City Stars 28-0 on Nov. 14.

This is the first season the Gauchos have joined the Snoop Youth Football League. They’ve played teams from Stockton, Modesto and the Bay Area.

“We might go down there and get beat up on, but it’s a good experience,” Ducey said. “This is something our kids aren’t used to. We’re going down to the breeding ground of Southern California football. Our kids are going to be exposed to that. We want to go represent our community well.”

According to Ducey, Snoop Dogg is filming an eight-episode reality TV show following his youth football team.

The Gauchos’ 11-and-under team also advanced to the Super Bowl on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Long Beach against the Long Beach Patriots, coached by former New England Patriots star Willie McGinest.

This story was originally published November 26, 2015 at 6:29 PM with the headline "Gauchos youth team in Super Bowl vs. Snoop Dogg’s squad."