Thursday, October 4, 2007

USA FOOTBALL CO-SPONSORS U.S. TEAM IN 2007 AZTEC BOWL


WACO, TEXAS — USA Football, the sport’s national governing body leading its development on a grassroots level, will team with the American Football Coaches Association for the first time to co-sponsor the United States Division III National Team that will face Mexico in the 2007 Aztec Bowl in Chihuahua, Mexico.

This year’s game will be played on December 8 at 22,000-seat Estadio Olimpico Universitario on the campus of the University of Chihuahua.

The 2007 event is the 37th edition of Mexico’s annual season-ending college football game. The last 10 contests have featured the USA-Mexico match-up. The United States is 9-1 in its 10 Aztec Bowl appearances and defeated Mexico, 28-7, last December in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Current NFL players who have participated in the Aztec Bowl include Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher (1997-John Carroll); Redskins defensive back Byron Westbrook (2006-Salisbury); Buffalo Bills runningback Fred Jackson (2002-Coe); Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Clint Kriewaldt (1998-Wisconsin-Stevens Point) and New York Jets linebacker Jason Trusnik (2006-Ohio Northern). Jackson was the MVP of the 2002 game. Fletcher, Kriewaldt, Jackson and Trusnik all served as Team USA captains.

Two former Team Mexico players are also on NFL rosters in 2007 — Houston Texans linebacker Eduardo Casteneda (2005-06- Monterrey Tech) and Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Ramiro Pruneda (2002-03-04-05-06- Monterrey Tech).

“The Aztec Bowl has become a true showcase for Division III football,” says AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff. “Hundreds of players at that level have had the opportunity to cap stellar college careers by representing the United States and our sport on an international stage against Mexico. We are proud to be joined by USA Football as we move into our second decade of competition in this unique event.”

USA Football’s involvement is part of its broader international program that includes organizing the first U.S. senior national team in the sport of football earlier this year. That team captured the gold medal at the 2007 World Championship of American Football in Kawasaki, Japan. Five members of the 2006 Aztec Bowl squad —Dustin Allen, Cody Childs, Rick Drushal, Rob Rodriguez and Steve Teeples — were members of that team.

“The Aztec Bowl has exemplified for years how the values woven into this great sport are borderless and resonates so strongly in Mexico,” says USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck. “USA Football proudly supports our American team and we look forward to an exciting game against Mexico’s top collegians.”

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