USAfootball

U.S. Under-19 National Team adds eight players

Eight of the United States’ top high school football players high have been selected to play on the 2012 U.S. Under-19 National Team, assembled by USA Football.

• Wide receiver DEMARCUS AYERS of Lancaster (Texas) High School


• Wide receiver MALIQUE BELFORT of Staten Island (N.Y.) Tottenville High School


• Defensive end DAESHON HALL of Lancaster (Texas) High School


• Linebacker KHARI HARDING of Edmond (Okla.) Santa Fe High School


• Defensive tackle JACOB HYDE of Manchester (Ky.) Clay County High School


• Tight end TYLER PROVO of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage High School


• Linebacker MARCUS ROBINSON of Memphis (Tenn.) East High School


• Offensive lineman LOGAN STOTT of St. George (Utah) Pine View High School

The team will compete in the 2012 IFAF Under-19 World Championship on June 30 to July 7 at Burger Stadium in Austin, Texas. The eight-nation tournament is conducted by the International Federation of American Football. Players and coaches will live at the University of Texas in Olympic Village-style accommodations. IFAF is composed of 62 nations spanning six continents that possess a national federation dedicated solely to American football.

The U.S. Under-19 National Team, comprised of high school athletes, will compete against national teams from American Samoa, Austria, Canada, France, Japan, Panama and Sweden. The United States won the inaugural IFAF Under-19 World Championship in 2009 in Canton, Ohio, earning the No. 1 seed this summer. The Americans open against No. 8 seed American Samoa at 8 p.m. CT June 30.

The 45-player roster currently stands at 44. USA Football will announce the final player in the coming days.

Team USA is led by STEVE SPECHT, head coach of Cincinnati St. Xavier High School. Specht led St. Xavier to Ohio Division I (largest school division) state titles in 2005 and 2007. He is 77-19 (.802) since becoming the head coach at his alma mater following the 2003 season.

A national team exemption granted by the NCAA allows high school seniors to play for USA Football and not have their participation count as one of their two permitted all-star game appearances. The IFAF Under-19 World Championship is recognized as a national team competition. 

USA Football is the sport’s national governing body in the United States and is the official youth football development partner of the NFL and NFL Players Association.

Learn more about the IFAF Under-19 World Championship and the World Football Festival at: www.u19championship.com.

U.S. Under-19 National Team roster:

U.S. Under-19 National Team coaching staff:

USA Football’s national team program is supported by corporate partners Marriott, Riddell, Sports Authority, Rawlings, Cutters, Gatorade, Upper Deck, Shock Doctor and St. Vincent Sports Performance.   

About USA Football: USA Football, the sport’s national governing body in the United States, hosts more than 100 football training events annually offering education for coaches, skill development for players and resources for youth football league commissioners. The independent nonprofit is the official youth football development partner of the NFL, its 32 teams and the NFL Players Association. USA Football manages U.S. national teams within the sport for international competitions and provides more than $1 million annually in equipment grants and youth league volunteer background check subsidies. Endowed by the NFL and NFLPA in 2002 through the NFL Youth Football Fund, USA Football (www.usafootball.com) is chaired by former NFL team executive Carl Peterson.