Under-15 International Development Week Canton, Ohio – July 16-24, 2011 “It’s been one of the best experiences ever, playing for my country against Sweden and Canada. I just loved it.” - Robert Washington, Team USA RB

2 Under-15 International Development Week Overview

• From July 16-24, more than 170 athletes and coaches from the United States, Sweden and Canada participated in the inaugural USA Football Under-15 International Development Week in Canton, Ohio.

• Fifty-four youth football players from 24 states were selected to play for the 2011 U.S. Under-15 Development Team and the U.S. Under-15 National Team.

• To kick off the week, players and parents attended a Welcome Dinner and tour at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a tour of Cleveland Browns Stadium and a practice at the Steelers Football Complex.

• Athletes engaged in extensive on- and off-the-field development and competitions throughout the week.

• Teams competed in 7-on-7 competitions, a Football Jamboree and a closing game at Fawcett Stadium, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. Welcome Dinner and Tour of the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Team USA Head Coach, USA Football Steve Perry, Executive Director, Pro Board Member & ESPN Analyst Merril Hoge Football Hall of Fame

U.S. Development Team Head Coach & USA U.S. Rep Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) Football Board Member Mark Meana On their first night in Canton, Ohio, players and coaches were honored at an unforgettable night at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Welcome Dinner featured guest speakers who addressed the athletes, coaches and parents about the importance of following their dreams, overcoming adversity and honoring their community and country during their time Canton. Welcome Dinner and Tour of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Cultural Exchange

The four key values of International Development Week are safety, development, character and competition. To further both their football & personal development, players participated in multi-country joint practices and were encouraged to build friendships with competing players off-the-field. International Coaching Instruction

During their week in Canton, foreign coaches took advantage of the opportunity to continue their football education. Impromptu coaching lessons were held nightly, and guest coach Blaise Winter hosted a defensive linemen clinic where he taught proper techniques and fundamentals to all interested players and coaches.

Blaise Winter demonstrating the importance of hand U.S. Development Team Coach Aaron Brady hosts a placement for offensive and defensive linemen teaching session for the Swedish coaching staff

Joint practices allowed competing players to interact, and coaches to learn new drills and training methods Cleveland Browns Stadium Visit

Players received a taste of what it’s like to play in the NFL when they took an all-access tour of Cleveland Browns Stadium. The program included legendary Cleveland St. Ignatius High School Head Coach Chuck Kyle as a guest speaker. Coach Kyle has led St. Ignatius to 10 Ohio state titles and was the head coach of the U.S. Under- 19 National Team that earned the gold medal at the 2009 International Federation of Under-19 World Championship in Canton, Ohio. Facility Visit

Before the players hit the field for a joint practice at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ UPMC Training Facility, former Steelers running back Merril Hoge addresses the group about what it meant to play in the NFL. Pittsburgh Steelers Facility Visit International Development Week Competitions

During the course of their week in Canton, players from all three countries competed in a series of 7-on-7 games, a midweek Football Jamboree and a full length game. The various onfield contests allowed these young athletes to apply what they learned in practice to live game situations. International Development Week 7-on-7 Competition

• 7-on-7 Competitions were held throughout the week to provide an environment for all participants to develop their skills in a competitive and “coach-friendly” format.

• Each team was divided into two separate 7-on-7 squads to allow players to maximize their repetitions in the offensive and defensive systems that they would be utilizing during their closing game.

• Normally reserved for skill positions, offensive and defensive linemen partook in their own 7-on-7 tournament know as “The Big Man Games.” International Development Week Football Jamboree

• International Development Week’s Football Jamboree was held at Fawcett Stadium in conjunction with the NFL/USA Football Youth Football Summit. The event allowed coaches to implement their offensive and defensive strategies in a series of scripted situations.

• All Jamboree match-ups were played with a 25 minute clock, allowing all Under-15 National Teams the chance to play one and other during the course of the night. Because of the rotating match-ups, players and coaches were able to test their game- plans against the differing schemes of each team.

• During each game, teams had the opportunity to run both a scripted series and a live-drive from the 25-yard line.

• Games were operated on a 50-field field, enabling four national teams to play at the same time. International Development Week Game Footage International Development Week Game Footage International Development Week Player Spotlight

Kevin Dillman, QB, Team Sweden Yellow Elijah Walker, RB, Team Canada

MJ Stewart, RB, Team USA

Tucker Beirne, QB, U.S. Development Team Gustav Dexner, RB, Team Sweden Blue Player Development Sessions

Under-15 International Development Week featured Player Development Sessions for all participants and their families. Player Development Sessions featured several keynote speakers who spoke to the athletes about leadership, adversity and never giving up in the pursuit of their dreams.

Desmond Howard speaking Jai Hill of NCSA speaks to athletes, Merril Hoge addressed the athletes about the about what it takes to succeed coaches and families about recruiting importance of finding a way to overcome life’s both on-the-field and in the education. obstacles. classroom. Player Development Sessions

11-year NFL veteran Blaise Winter speaks to the group about overcoming adversity and the importance of building character through their experiences on the football field. Video Overview of U-15 International Development Week

U15 International Development Week Introduction Game Day Video Recap – Click to View Video Recap – Click to View A Few Quotes…

Thank you again for a great week. You guys did an amazing job. The coaching, organization and venue were first class! Tucker had an incredible experience playing for his country and building new friendships around the world. - Dave Beirne, father of Tucker Beirne, U.S. Development Team quarterback

I wanted take this opportunity to thank everyone involved with the USA Football U-15 International Development Week. We understand how much time and effort it took to plan out and implement this event. It was a tremendous event and my son, Jarryd enjoyed it so much. On the way home, he couldn’t stop talking about all the fun he had getting to know all the coaches, players, trainers and other USA Football staff members. He also appreciated all the time and effort the coaches put into teaching the game of football to the players. - Jonathan Cabusao, father of Jarryd Cabusao, U.S. Development Team running back

I want to thank each one of you for allowing me the experience to work with such an amazing group of young men. The USA staff was absolutely brilliant in how they responded to all our camp needs. That to me speaks volumes to what USA Football is all about. Thank you for representing USA Football with such class. - Merril Hoge, Team USA head coach & father of Beau Hoge, Team USA quarterback