Spare a thought for Australia’s U20s Outback team.
Participating at this summer’s IFAF U20 World Junior Championships in Canada is quite the commitment, requiring the Aussies to spend in the region of 24 hours traveling more than 8,000 miles at a cost of around $9000 (AUD) per person to perform on the international stage.
Even before making that trip, selecting a roster that can compete in an opening game clash with Japan entails holding five tryout camps – some of them 2,500 miles apart – during March and April, before the full squad can get together to practice as one unit. Even then, their first full practice session will be on a different continent.