USAfootball

USA Football announces full 45-player roster for U.S. Under-19 National Team

Forty-five (45) top U.S. high school football players have been selected to play on the 2012 U.S. Under-19 National Team, assembled by USA Football.

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 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. The Americans open against No. 8 seed American Samoa at 8 p.m. CT June 30.

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.

U.S. coaches are scheduled to arrive in Austin on Thursday, June 21, with players arriving the next day. Team USA will hold a weeklong training camp starting Saturday, June 23, at Burger Stadium. Here is the game schedule:

Saturday, June 30 (all games at Burger Stadium)

Tuesday, July 3

Wednesday, July 4

Friday, July 6

Saturday, July 7

A welcome dinner for members of all eight national teams is Friday, June 29, at the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium Lounge, where players and coaches will sit by position groups alongside members of opposing teams.

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

The Under-19 World Championship is part of the World Football Festival being held June 28 to July 12 throughout Austin. More than 2,000 players and coaches from around the world will gather to celebrate America’s favorite sport in competition, development and cultural exchange. Other events during the World Football Festival include:

·         Under-15 International Development Week, June 29 to July 5, Whitaker Fields and Burger Stadium

·         NFL FLAG powered by USA Football Regional Tournament, June 30 and July 1, Whitaker Fields

·         USA Football 7-on-7 Tournament, June 30, Ellie Noack Field Sports Complex and Burger Stadium

·         Under-17 International Development Week, July 5-12, Whitaker Field and Burger Stadium

·         U.S. Under-19 National Team Trials, July 5-8, Ellie Noack Field Sports Complex and Burger Stadium

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.