The U.S. National Team program is wrapping up a big year in 2014. Among the many accomplishments this year:

• The Under-19 team recaptured the gold medal at the IFAF World Championship in Kuwait.
• The United States hosted Football Canada in six high school-age competitions during the International Bowl in Arlington, Texas.
• More than 5,000 athletes took part in Regional Development Camps and National Development Games.

As the national governing body of the sport, USA Football is proud to manage and field the National Teams on behalf of the United States of America. Here is a preview of the 2015 events and programs. We have made several significant changes that we are excited to share with you.

Training and development features

The U.S. National Team program will provide weekly features for athletes aspiring to play college football. These blog items and social media campaigns will provide tips and information that will help make you a better player and offer great insight on how to accomplish goals.

All U.S. National Team events feature current NCAA coaches. USA Football worked with the NCAA to permit current NCAA coaches to serve as National Team coaches at regional, national and international competitions and camps

Expanded events

Regional Development Camps are expanding from 17 markets in 2014 to 24 markets in 2015. The two-day non-contact camps run February to May and feature divisions for high school (grades 9-11) and middle school (grades 6-8). While also serving as an initial tryout for U.S. National Teams, high school participants receive premier coaching and recruiting exposure to current NCAA coaches, while middle school athletes get premier coaching from some of the region’s top high school coaches. Check them out here.

Athletes from Regional Development Camps are invited to participate at the National Development Games, which are weeklong training and competition programs led by current NCAA coaches, former NFL players and top high school coaches. Athletes are drafted onto teams, train with their team throughout the week, participate in player development sessions, compete in jamborees and conclude the week with a full-padded game against the other U.S. National Development Teams. In order to allow participation for athletes from states that do not permit full contact or football equipment use during the summer, we have added a non-contact version to the summer schedule as well.

The 2015 International Bowl kicks off Jan. 30 at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, with the first of six games featuring top U.S. players in grades 8-12. The U-19 team wraps up the event Feb. 7 in a game against Canada. New this year is a U.S. Select Team that includes varsity players from different class years. Tickets are available here.

During the Under-19 International Bowl week, USA Football hosts the largest National Signing Day event in the country at AT&T Stadium, where U-19 players officially sign their letters of intent and formally accept college scholarships alongside future college teammates and soon-to-be conference rivals. This is one of the most memorable moments of a high school football player’s career, and USA Football welcomes families, coaches, and friends to attend the celebratory breakfast to watch the players be interviewed by national media outlets.

U.S. National Team pathway

Interested in playing for the U.S. National Team? Here’s how it works:

• Step 1: Attend a Regional Development Camp where you will train with current NCAA coaches and officially try-out for the U.S. National Team
• Step 2: USA Football selects athletes from the Regional Development Camps to join USA Football at the National Development Games. Events take place on college campuses and attending athletes are drafted onto a U.S. National Developmental Team where they train together and eventually compete against other U.S. National Developmental Teams.
• Step 3: USA Football selects athletes from National Development Games for the age specific U.S. National Team. U.S. National Teams compete against Canada in the annual International Bowl.
• Step 4: Athletes are selected to play for the Under-19 U.S. National Team that will compete in the IFAF World Championship (held every two years).

Training and development

Whether you’re a Regional Development Camp athlete or a member of the U.S. National Team, USA Football wants everyone to have access to cutting edge training and development content.

• Recruiting education by Collegiate Sports Data. CSD is a NCAA approved scouting service for high school football players and high school and collegiate coaches. CSD and USA Football will deliver recruiting tips and educational information throughout the year. CSD currently is partnered with more than 450 colleges across all NCAA levels and provides athletes and colleges with the chance to connect.
• Strength and conditioning by Volt Athletics. Volt Athletics constructs individualize workouts that are sports specific made for each athlete based on their strengths and weaknesses while tracking progress on their profile. Athletes input their information, and Volt assembles a training calendar, generating the workouts. Volt provides easy access online and has video instructions. 

• Sports nutrition. USA Football’s partners Gatorade, St. Vincent Sports Performance and others will provide athletes with sports nutrition educational information.

Character and leadership development. USA Football looks for the top-right players to be a part of the U.S. National Team, and this goes beyond the football field. To represent the United States, athletes must display hard work, leadership, teamwork and overall character on and off the field. Elite athletes are natural role models because of their skills, and USA Football prides itself on providing leadership and character development content so top players know how to apply these skills in all areas of life.