The Long Beach Boys Varsity Hockey Team is holding some of its final practices ahead of the national championship in Irvine, California.

The team qualified for the national championship, which starts March 26, but needs the community's help to get them there.

It is fundraising to cover the costs of their airfarr and hotel.

The team is also playing in memory of Gerrin Hagen.

As News 12 reported, Hagen was hit and killed by a car two years ago.

The team still chants his name before every game.

Long Beach finished second in the county and state championship this year and the coach says the team is ready to give it everything they've got.

"We're trying to stay humble, but this is a special group...this isn't an opportunity that comes every year." said Coach Rob Carson.

"It's really special, we're the first team to do it, and to do it in our senior year with all my friends....we just wanted to win so much more, we're much tighter as a group now." said senior Patrick Henry.

"It's an honor as a group that we made it, it's really important to us, obviously with Gerrin too, he's always wanted to win and now that we get to do it for him is something that's really important to us." said senior Richie Behr.

If you would like to help the team, here is a link to the GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-long-beach-boys-hockey-reach-nationals?qid=c25c4b445c5ce1c52c3112803eac958f