USAfootball

USA Football adds Cameron Birse of Danville, Calif., to 2012 U.S. Under-19 National Team

Quarterback CAMERON BIRSE of Danville (Calif.) San Ramon Valley High School has been selected to play on the 2012 U.S. Under-19 National Team, assembled by USA Football. Team USA is presently competing in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Under-19 World Championship in Austin, Texas.                                                                                                                             

Birse was added to the 45-player roster Friday but did not arrive in Austin until mid-afternoon Saturday. Team USA defeated American Samoa, 27-6, in a first-round contest on Saturday night in Austin’s Burger Stadium. Birse did not dress for Saturday’s game but will practice with the team today. He is expected to be in uniform for Team USA’s next game, Wednesday, July 4, at 8 p.m. CT against Austria, which defeated Panama on Saturday, 40-0.

All tournament games are streamed live and free of charge at www.youtube.com/usafootballeducation.

Birse is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound passer who as a junior this past season played behind nationally sought after recruit and senior ZACH KLINE, who committed to Cal earlier this year. Birse’s combined statistics as San Ramon Valley’s starter on freshman and junior varsity levels: 43 touchdowns against three interceptions for 3,782 yards en route to a 15-2 (.882) record.

The 2012 U.S. Under-19 National Team is managed by USA Football, the sport’s national governing body in the United States.

The 2012 IFAF Under-19 World Championship continues through July 7 at Burger Stadium in Austin, Texas. The eight-nation tournament is conducted by IFAF. Players and coaches are residing 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 athletesrepresenting 20 states, 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.

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. He also was the defensive coordinator on the 2009 U.S. Under-19 National Team.

Game stories and statistics from all four of the first-round games can be found at http://u19championship.com/schedule.

Saturday, June 30 (all games at Burger Stadium)

Austria 40, Panama 0

Japan 27, France 6

Canada 43, Sweden 0

United States 27, American Samoa 6

Tuesday, July 3

Wednesday, July 4

Friday, July 6

Saturday, July 7

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.