Team USA Roster To Be Revealed
Head Coach Mark Guandolo will announce the 40-man Team USA Football roster to compete at the NFL Global Junior Championship XI on Tuesday, December 19.
The names of the Broward and Miami-Dade County high school standouts who will match up against international teams from Canada, Japan, France, Mexico and Panama will be revealed live on www.NFL-GJC.com at 9am.
The eleventh annual NFL Global Junior Championship will be played on Wednesday January 31 and Saturday February 3 at Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, as part of the Super Bowl XLI festivities. Graduating seniors from Broward and Miami-Dade counties who posted a minimum 2.5 GPA through their junior year are eligible to represent the United States with a maximum of three players allowed per school.
“It is a great honor to represent your country on an international stage, so I am sure the athletes who are selected will consider themselves very fortunate,” said Guandolo (pictured below). “They will be a part of the Super Bowl when it comes to South Florida and they will have a unique opportunity to take the field against players from different countries around the world.
“It has been an interesting challenge to compile this roster and I am confident we will have a group that is worthy of flying the Team USA Football flag. Versatility will be important as will a dedication to teamwork if we are to win back the championship for the United States.”
Guandolo named three of his players, a trio from Chaminade-Madonna, linemen Ryan Goldman and Emeka Nwankwo and defensive back Eian Smith last week. He also revealed his coaching staff of Marcello Rodriguez (Chaminade-Madonna), Art Taylor (Deerfield Beach), Dan Marguriet (Coconut Creek), Mark James (Boyd Anderson), Alan Jackson (Monarch), Steve Smith (Hialeah), Frank Ponce (Miami High), Clark Eakes (Varela), Tim Harris (Booker T Washington), Billy Rolle (Killian), Alex Mirabal (Columbus) and Head Trainer Vinny Scavo (Coral Gables).
Tickets for the NFL Global Junior Championship cost $5 per day and are available from local schools Cardinal Gibbons, Pine Crest, North Broward Prep, Western High, University and Chaminade-Madonna Preparatory, with all proceeds benefiting those schools.