John Leijten is back on familiar ground with the Australian Outback national team. The preparation timeframe is short, the distance to travel to compete is considerable and the opponent lying in wait presents a significant obstacle.
But the head coach of his nation’s U20s heading to Canada in June for the IFAF U20 World Junior Championships is excited by the challenge that lies ahead. He’s been here before, leading the Australian men’s national team in Austria in 2011 and the United States in 2015. John has also gone up against some upcoming opponents and coaches as a member of the Team Europe staff at the NFL Global Junior Championships, notably Canada and Australia’s opening opponent Japan.