NFL Stars At Championship Game

Jason TaylorNFL Defensive Player of the Year Jason Taylor will perform the coin toss before the final of the NFL Global Junior Championship XI at Lockhart Stadium at 3pm on Saturday, February 3. Also watching the teams of high school standouts from six countries and three continents compete on the gridiron will be former Dallas Cowboys and University of Florida running back Emmitt Smith.

In his role as the annual Super Bowl event’s Honorary Chairman, Miami Dolphins defensive end Taylor will join the pre-game activities when defending champion Canada takes on a Team USA comprised of high school seniors from Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

“It is fantastic to see young athletes from around the world come together on the football field,” said Taylor. “I think this area has the best football in the country, so I think the USA will win.”

Canada thinks otherwise and will defend the NFL Global Junior Championship title that has been held north of the border the past two years on Saturday at 3pm against a Team USA, side under head coach Mark Guandolo of Chaminade-Madonna Preparatory School in Hollywood, FL.

Smith will hook up with his former Escambia (Pensacola, FL) high school coach Dwight Thomas, who has been involved with the NFL Global Junior Championship since it was first played in 1997. The event has grown from being a two-team showcase to become an international six-nation tournament that has featured at 11 consecutive Super Bowls.

Also in action at Lockhart Stadium on Saturday will be Japan and Mexico, who will contest third place at 11.30am in a repeat of last year’s match up. France and Panama will kick off the action at 8.30am.

General admission costs $5 and more information is available at www.NFL-GJC.com, which will broadcast live audio of all games through EZStream.