USA Football Junior National Team Coaching Staff Announced

The 2009 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Junior World Championship - the world's first football tournament featuring the best high school-aged national teams from four continents - kicks off in Canton, Ohio, on June 27. All games will be played in historic Fawcett Stadium, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and Hall of Fame Enshrinement ceremonies. All-day general admission tickets are $10; reserved tickets to all 12 tournament games are $50 and are available at www.jwcfootball.com and via phone at 1-800-574-5874. USA Coaching Staff Chuck Kyle - Head coach - Cleveland St. Ignatius Steve Specht - Defensive Coordinator - Cincinnati St. Xavier Gary Swenson - Offensive Coordinator - West Des Moines Valley (Iowa) Tom Bainter - Running Backs - Bothell (Washington) Marcus Boyles - Wide Receivers - Wayne County (Mississippi) Ed Croson - Offensive Line - Lake Balboa Birmingham (California) Jeremy Gold - Defensive Line - Ann Arbor Pioneer (Michigan) Frank Lenti - Offensive Line - Chicago Mount Carmel Chris Merritt - Defensive Backs - Miami Christopher Columbus Allen Wilson - Linebackers - Dallas Carter "I really feel honored to be part of this tremendous group of coaches and lead it," said Team USA head coach CHUCK KYLE of Cleveland St. Ignatius High School, an English teacher who has guided his Wildcats to three "National Championship" seasons (USA Today 1989, '93; National Prep Poll 1993, '95). "All of these men bring a litany of accolades, but there's far more to them than awards and win totals. I'm most impressed - and proud - of how these coaches challenge and guide their teams to reach their potential as student-athletes and young men. They share uncommon abilities to prepare, inspire and connect with their players." Team USA will compete among a field of eight countries spanning four continents in the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship. The tournament will take place June 27-July 5, 2009, in Canton, Ohio. All games will be played in Canton's historic Fawcett Stadium, adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Starting next summer, this inaugural tournament will be conducted every four years in one of 52 IFAF-member nations. All 50 state high school athletic associations and the District of Columbia are invited to nominate at least 10 players to compose a talent pool from which Team USA's coaching staff will select its roster this coming spring. Six of next summer's eight IFAF Junior World Championship competing nations have been determined: Canada Japan France Sweden Germany United States The remaining qualifier games listed below will determine the tournament's final two berths by mid-February: Oceania Jan. 24, 2009: New Zealand at Australia (Canberra, Australia) Pan America Jan. 24, 2009: Bahamas at Panama (Panama City) Feb. 14, 2009: Bahamas-Panama Winner at Mexico (Mexico City) Tickets for 12-Game International Tournament in Canton, Ohio, Available at JWCFootball.com Games will be played on the following days: ➢ Saturday, June 27: Round 1, Opening Ceremony and four games beginning at 10 a.m.; ➢ Wednesday, July 1: Round 2, four games beginning at 10 a.m.; ➢ Saturday, July 4: Medal Round, three games beginning at 1 p.m.; ➢ Sunday, July 5: Gold Medal Game and Medal Ceremony, Kickoff TBD About USA Football USA Football is the national governing body of America's favorite sport on youth and amateur levels. The independent non-profit hosts 100 football training events per year which offer education for coaches and game officials, skill development for players and resources for youth league administrators. USA Football, based near Washington, D.C., oversees and manages U.S. national teams and is the United States' delegate to IFAF. USA Football was started by the NFL and NFLPA through the NFL Youth Football Fund in 2002 and is chaired by former U.S. Congressman and professional quarterback Jack Kemp. For more, visit usafootball.com.