Team USA will be looking to win their third IFAF U19 World Championship tournament Saturday, July 14 when they take on Team Outback from Australia in the opening game f the competition.
This will be the first time these two teams have faced each other in a world junior tournament.
The United States are two-time winners of the World U19 Championships having taken the title in 2009 and 2014 beating Canada for the gold medal both times. They finished second in 2012 and 2016 losing to Canada in both finals.
This is the second time Australia has competed in the World Junior Championships. In the 2016 tournament held in Harbin, China, Australia finished sixth with a record of 2-2. Team Outbackdefeated China twice, 72-0 and 74-0 but lost to Team Japan 42-0 and Austria 43-13.
Forty-five high school and college football players spanning 19 states have been selected for the United States Under-19 National Team. The head coach of the U.S. Under-19 National Team is Matt Hennesy of Pawhuska (Oklahoma) High School.
Team Outback is led by head coach Luke Chapman from Queensland who has had his team practicing in Rockford, Illinois to get acclimatized to the time changes. The Australians arrived Friday in Mexico City.
Team Outback Team Manager, Michael Kerr:
The boys are excited. The USA and Canada are the benchmarks for the game at the junior level and playing either gives us a chance to assess what level the program is at and determine what improvements need to be made. Kade Dawson who is one of our captains for today’s game will be starting at QB.
Our boys have achieved something special just being on the field in Mexico due to difficulties with funding and sponsorship in the sport in Australia and the lack of full time paid coaching and development staff. So to then be playing against one of the pre-eminent teams at the under 19 level is a massive accomplishment.
Check out the rosters of Team USA and Team Outback.
Watch the game live here presented by Krown Countdown U, YareTV and American Football International. Team USA v. Australia, July 14, 11a (12 noon EST, 6p CEST)
The livestream feed is provided by Maximo Avance.