Team USA was unable to recover from conceding 17 unanswered first half points and despite outscoring Team Japan after the break went down to a 24-14 defeat at a Kawasaki Stadium overflowing with 4,800 enthusiastic football fans.  

“We gave ourselves a mountain to climb and never fully recovered,” said Team USA head coach Jeff Scurran (Santa Rita, AZ). “But I am proud of the way we showed spirit and came back in the second half. This whole week has been an enjoyable and memorable experience and everyone conducted themselves with dignity and can leave here with their heads held high,”  

After Japan came firing out of the starting blocks and scored on the game’s first possession, Team USA found its offense stifled and was forced to make adjustments at halftime. After Japan had extended its lead to 24-0, Akeem Satterfield (Erie Prep, PA) turned the tide with a one-yard touchdown run and Daniel Nicholas (Canyon Del Oro, AZ) hit Aubura Taylor (Santa Rita, AZ) on a 15-yard score. But the fourth quarter comeback came too late to deny Japan victory.  

Team USA lost the coin toss and Japan, having elected to receive the ball, overcame some early nerves to put points on the board early. Things might have been different had fumbles on the opening kickoff and the third play of the game bounced into US hands.  

Quarterback Shohei Kato and six feet seven receiver Hiroki Matsubara both gained crucial first downs and a 15-yard penalty also helped move the ball before the blistering speed of Tatsuya Kureta took him in for a rushing touchdown to delight the home crowd.  

Team USA went three and out on its first possession, the highlight of the fierce Japanese defense being a hit by safety Hideoshi Yano that stopped Marquese Wheaton (Mountain Pointe, AZ) in his tracks. Fumbled balls continued to elude the US as a snap over the head of Masashi Ishikawa forced the punter to improvise and he narrowly got his kick away with Satterfield bearing down on the ball.  

With 3:54 played in the second quarter, Japan quarterback Kato went to the air and hit his receiver a fraction before Wheaton arrived to try for the interception and the defensive back’s gamble left 47 yards of open field for a 14-0 Japan lead.  

The touchdown was rough justice on the US defense that had started to show signs of calming a frantic first half. Tony Martin (Somerset, WI) came up with an interception as American confidence grew, but the Japanese defense continued to flush Nicholas out of the pocket and he was sacked and then forced to dump off a short pass that Taylor turned into a tough 11-yard gain.   

Faced with a difficult fourth and one decision at his own 30-yard mark, coach Scurran opted to punt the ball away rather than risk turning the ball over so close to the red zone.  

Japan took the ball at its own 36-yard mark and drove downfield to set up a 19-yard Ishikawa field goal and a 17-0 lead as first half time expired.  

Team USA stalled at the beginning of the third quarter and Japan delivered the sucker punch that effectively ended the contest. Two pass interference calls, the second a harsh call on Tyler Ward (Seven Lakes, TX), helped move the chains to the two-yard mark. Japan punched the ball in to leave Team USA facing a 23-point deficit and only 17:27 in which to recover.  

Wheaton caught a 44-yard pass down the right sideline despite being impeded by the cornerback and Nicholas picked up a first down on a short run as Team USA gathered momentum. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Riley Bushman’s (Sabino, AZ) 11-yard reception came up just a yard shy of the end zone, so Satterfield stepped up to put six points on the board for Team USA. The two-point conversion attempt was fumbled away.  

It was Japan’s turn to feel the heat defensively and after they had been forced to punt, Team USA drove again. Nicholas eluded the blitz to find Scotty Smith (Davis County, KY) for a first down, but facing third and 11 on the Japan 24, Nicholas was hit as he threw and Japan pounced on the loose ball.  

Throwing caution to the wind, Nicholas pitched a bomb to Wheaton worth 35 yards and after Satterfield had been stopped for a loss, the Southern Arizona player of the year lofted a 15-yard scoring strike to Taylor. A successful two-point conversion pass from Nicolas to Satterfield meant the US was behind only two scores with 4:13 remaining.  

As quickly as hope of a recovery had appeared it vanished as Michael DiGangi’s (Highland, AZ) onside kick landed untouched out of bounds. When the US did get the ball back, Nicholas was pressured into a desperation pass and Yasuhiro Kawano came up with the game-ending interception.  

Quarterback Nicholas, who completed 16 of 23 attempts for 179 yards, one touchdown and an interception, also led the US on the ground with 25 yards on 12 carries, ahead of Taylor (9-7), and Satterfield (5-6-1). Wheaton was the most productive receiver with 5 catches for 81 yards, followed by Taylor (6-46-1), Scotty Smith (3-32), Bushman (1-11) and Satterfield 1-9.  

Defensively, Wheaton stepped up with 7 tackles and an interception, while Ward, Mike Parsons (Erie Prep, PA), Mike Snively (Santa Rita, AZ), Nick Viola (Villa Angela St Joseph, OH) and Jordan Ralph (Gibson Southern, IN) each had three tackles. Martin claimed a tackles and an interception and there were three sacks for Viola and one for Darius Petraitis (Villa Angela St Joseph, OH).  Japan’s starting quarterback Kato (Kwansei Gaukin University) completed 13 of 21 pass attempts for 162 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

Quotes and photos to follow… 

Every day, Michael Preston, who is responsible for Team USA media relations, will post a blog here on GlobalFootball.com…

They arrived here football players, but will go home samurai warriors. 

Without wishing to spoil the surprise, more than a third of the Team USA contingent that enjoyed a two hour visit to the Buddhist temple at Asakusa made the most of an opportunity to do some shopping to buy samurai swords. The uniquely Japanese souvenirs will be popping up from Arizona to Kentucky and Wisconsin to Louisiana when the team arrives home next week.  

The visit to the Tokyo district of Asakusa came after Team USA had completed its final practice session before Saturday’s big game against Japan at the Kawasaki Stadium. The final run through of the game plan was held in blustery conditions, but thankfully there was no rain to dampen the mood. Saturday’s forecast is for sunny skies and some welcome warm weather. 

The bus ride into Tokyo gave us another look at some gridlocked traffic and an impression of just how vast this city really is. I heard Tokyo compared in terms of size to an area equivalent of the San Francisco bay area, only with 13 million inhabitants all crammed into the city. Quite different from lineman Billy Deane’s home of Adams Friendship, WI, which he estimates is home to less than 2,000 people. 

While the team pressed on with their shopping expedition in Asakusa, team manager Patrick Steenberge and yours truly wandered off the beaten track to sample some local culinary delights. After being lured into paying 400 yen (about $4) for a baked potato with an artery-clogging amount of butter, we sampled a mystery dish that tasted as odd as its description suggests. A mix of an omelet, pasta, seaweed, a barely fried egg and a topping of dried haddock flakes, it made for an interesting lunch. As did the cookie covered with a very hot red spice that a couple who had befriended us at our table encouraged us to try.

They clearly expected us to gasp for water once the spices kicked in (and boy did they kick in!) but I grew up in an area of England where burning Indian curries are popular and Patrick lives in Texas and regularly samples authentic Mexican dishes, so we spoiled their fun and ate the cookies. Well, we ate some of it. 

Talking of food, here are the Team USA culinary likes and dislikes that we promised you in yesterday’s blog. First the likes / then the dislikes: 

Darius Petratis: Loves noodles / hates seaweed
Tony Martin: Rice and gravy / Chinese vegetables
Jordan Ralph: Sushi / sea urchin
John Pokorny: Noodles / sushi
Matt Groudle: Miso soup, beef stew / some of the fish
Jake Thompson: meals with meat / sushi
Michael DiGangi: I love sushi. I’ll eat anything
Troy Roffi: Tempura / sushiJoe Zambito: I have liked every food that I have tried, but my favorite is probably sushi
Daniel Nicholas: I have liked everything so far except sushi
Rob Moran: Tempura and some sushi / tofu
Akeen Satterfield: Whatever I ate, it was good. I don’t know what it was
John Earl: So far I like all the foods I have tried here
Billy Deane: I like the Japanese pound cake and raw salmon eggs
Mike Parsons: Noodles with sauce / sushiJon Harms: Soup / anything not cooked
Brandon Young: Noodles, egg, fish / wasabi, scallops
Taylor Ward: Tempura, sukiyaki  

So a divided camp when it comes to sushi then. 

After an hour-long ride back to Kawasaki, the team checked into rooms at the Sunroute Hotel where the coaches and staff have been staying this week. The team will all be together to walk the short distance to Kawasaki Stadium to begin preparations at 10am. The group bonded on Friday evening at a team dinner at a Korean barbeque where the all-you-can-eat policy was well received. 

Next time on GlobalFootball.com…. The GE Global Challenge Bowl game recap…

Every day, Michael Preston, who is responsible for Team USA media relations, will post a blog here on GlobalFootball.com…

Next time a member of Team USA asks for a ride somewhere or grabs the keys to his car, just offer one word as an alternative: walk. 

Walking to and from practice for the day’s activities and back again to the stadium has become commonplace for the 40-player roster who are discovering that there is a healthy and efficient means to travel other than sitting behind the wheel.  

Dropped by their host families at Kawasaki Station, many players take a 15-minute walk to the stadium and team practice site, then make the same journey back again in the late afternoon. On Thursday, in blustery and rain-swept conditions, the sidewalk was a familiar path as Team USA paced their way to and back from a shopping mall and giant electronics store in addition to their standard walk to and from practice. 

The logic is simple. Kawasaki’s grid-locked traffic can be overtaken by walkers mingling with the city’s large number of bicyclists and going by foot is usually quicker and more effective than going by car. But Thursday threw up a few challenges, not least the problem of preventing the umbrellas that are either given out free of charge by a hotel front desk or purchased for a few dollars from turning inside out or blowing away in the gale-force winds. The wind toppled over the majority of bikes that are usually parked immaculately side by side throughout the city and generally cooled the morning temperature. Bikes, by the way, are rarely locked and never stolen it seems. Umbrellas are also left outside shops in special stands and, again, are only ever retrieved by their owner. 

As a result of the weather, Team USA (especially the Arizona contingent) were relieved to vacate the cold practice field they shared with a group of cheerleaders who themselves perfected their routines while loud dance music blared over the stadium speakers as Team USA attempted to practice. Coach John Storey from Villa Angela St Josephs in Cleveland was seen but sadly not photographed dancing to the universally popular song YMCA. 

The steady rain forced coach Scurran’s coaching clinic to be held inside as a healthy number of local Japanese coaches attended, their minds set on improving basic football fundamentals in the Japanese game. 

For the players, the washed out afternoon provided an opportunity to visit a giant  electronics goods stall and a shopping mall before taking a bus to the Toshiba factory tour.

Thursday night will be their last one with the host families before the team relocates to the coaches’ Sunroute Hotel in Kawasaki in preparation for game day. The players will be back in their new homes for two nights afterwards. 

The evening gave Team USA organizer and Team Manager Patrick Steenberge an opportunity to catch up with some of his old Notre Dame friends who are either living in Japan these days or visiting for the Boston Red Sox preseason and regular season games. Patrick played quarterback for the Irish in the early 70s (take a look at the video on this page http://www.globalfootball.com/about.html) and took the Team USA coaches and staff to meet his friends.  

The journey to and from the bar in Tokyo included navigating the subway and it’s never-ending boards of jumbled signs and ticket machines, changing trains and walking (naturally) and on the return journey we managed to retrace our steps, avoiding the alternative of a $200 taxi ride!  

Patrick, it should be mentioned, has put his arm to good use on this trip, acting as quarterback whenever Daniel Nicholas is resting his arm. During Thursday’s practice he threaded a perfect long pass to the outside shoulder of a receiver who was in tight coverage. He still has it! 

Still to come on Friday… the culinary likes and dislikes of Team USA, the Asakusa tour, preparing for kickoff… 

Team USA came of age this morning. 

Coach Surran had promised a tough practice and a demanding day for that matter with a second session at the Kawasaki Stadium from 3pm to 5pm following the morning drills. This was the squad’s last chance to hit in full pads before lighter sessions on Thursday and Friday. 

The general feeling among the players and coaches was that the team is on the right tracks with the game against Japan only three days away. “It was a tough practice, but we did some good things and it seemed to go well,” said running back Troy Smith. 

Along with team mates and fellow Arizona representatives Alex McGillivray and Michael DiGangi (whose bags finally showed up today), Smith met the Mayor of Kawasaki Mr. Abe in his offices at lunch time. A quick burst along the busy Kawasaki streets got the players there in time to join head coach Jeff Scurran, organizers Shinzo Yamada and Patrick Steenberge and members of the Japanese squad at the formal reception. 

Mr. Abe told them: “We are very pleased that we had so many local families eager to host your players and we could have accommodated a squad twice as large in size, the response was so great. I could see at the welcome banquet that the players and families were already having a great time together. 

“I wish you all a great game and I hope that one day we see players from both teams playing at the highest level of the sport.” 

The Team USA players had an opportunity to address Mr. Abe. DiGangi said: “We are delighted to be here and feel very relaxed when we are with our host families.” McGillivray added: “You have a very beautiful city and I am having the time of my life. I would also like to say good luck to our opponents this Saturday.” 

There was no time to waste before a return to the field where practice was eventually halted by a torrential downpour and the rain showed no sign of relenting when the players headed home to be with their host families. The poor weather seems to be following Team USA around, first in San Diego and now in Kawasaki. 

After the hectic past few days, Thursday evening was one for rest and relaxation. Whether or not the players did that is a question for tomorrow’s blog, but the players and staff certainly did at their Sunroute Hotel in the city. 

A few brief observations about the hotel to end: the bathroom mirror has a texture in an area at the perfect level for shaving or applying make up, which causes it to remain clear while the rest of the mirror is steamed up after showering. Genius! The hotel has metallic ‘do not disturb’ signs and presumably a metallic substance in the doors so that those signs can be easily applied and do not fall off door handles as if so often the case, or become lost or worn. 

Talking of ‘do not disturb’ it is late enough in Kawasaki to put up the magnet and bid you sayonara for now.

If this were a soccer game the score right now would be USA 0 Japan 1; or a boxing match and the stars and stripes would be behind on points. The reason: that wonderful Japanese invention, karaoke! 

Aubura Taylor’s rendition of the Temptations’ My Girl was no match for his Japanese opponent Yuusuke Ashina’s crowd-pleaser, despite his dance moves, at the Tuesday evening Welcome Banquet. 

“He’s a linebacker and I’m a running back, so we’ll have a rematch on the field on Saturday and see who wins then,” said Taylor, looking forward to the March 22 meeting between Team USA and Team Japan at the Kawasaki Stadium for the GE Global Challenge Bowl title. 

The welcome party provided the ideal opportunity for players from both teams to get to know one another and for the event’s organizers to thank the local Japanese families for hosting US players during their stay and the city of Kawasaki for its hospitality. But that chance for everyone to relax and enjoy the evening came at the end of a long and exciting day. 

Players who had spent their first nights with host families in very foreign surroundings started arriving at the Kawasaki Stadium for their first practice on Japanese soil at around 9.15am. Everybody seemed upbeat and as they dressed for practice, shared some of their experiences. 

John Harms (Graves County HS, KY): “My family speaks no English whatsoever, so we played charades for eight hours. But it was fine, we managed to communicate. “One of the first things they did was give me a knife and fork.” 

Billy Deane (Adams Friendship HS, WI): “The toilet seat was heated! That’s something we should have at home. 

“They gave us some kind of Japanese cereal, eggs, sausage, bacon, kiwi fruit, grapefruit – I couldn’t eat it all there was so much. I liked the Japanese cereal. 

“The Mom has started reading an English book so we were able to talk to each other. I’m staying in what I’d call a typically Japanese room and have a lap top in my room, but it is difficult to work out what everything means. The keyboard is in English but all the programs are in Japanese. 

“They told me to duck under the door, which I had to!” 

Jake Thompson (Marion County HS, KY): “Their kids are up at 6am for school which is at least half an hour away and they don’t come home until late. The house where I’m staying is only five minutes away from here.” 

Daniel Nicholas (Canyon Del Oro HS, AZ): “We’re staying about an hour and a half away from here. I think we (he and teammate Mike Snively) are the ones who have to travel the furthest. I’ve tried eating with chopsticks, but it’s hard. 

“The house has a few different features. They have all sliding doors and steep stairs. We watched a World War II film at night, which surprised me.”

Mike Snively (Santa Rita HS, AZ): “We had a kind of bacon that seemed to be ham cut into strips and then fried, eggs, salad and toast for breakfast.  

“I’ve been using chop sticks and trying to talk with the family as much as I can but Daniel (Nicholas) hasn’t talked so much. They point at me and say ‘he try things’ then they point at Daniel and say ‘he shy’.” 

Will Cassidy (The Bolles School, FL): “My host family’s Dad, whose name is Tanko, has four cars. He has a Porsche, Mercedes, a Cadillac and something else. He told me he’s just sold his Ferrari!  

“For breakfast they gave me eggs, bacon, toast, tea and cereal. For dinner we had beef stroganoff, soup and noodles. The Dad lived in New York once and also in LA for business and attended graduate school in the US, so he knows what kind of food Americans like. 

“The first things they asked was ‘do you like McDonalds?”” 

Once headshots had been taken by Japanese television, the team hit the practice field for the first time on foreign soil. The Kawasaki Stadium field is flanked on each side by high aluminum bleachers and light blue seating areas. Behind one end zone is a view of the city of Kawasaki and in each corner stand four large floodlight pylons.  There were large black crow-like birds making frequent strange calling noises and every half an hour a loud clock sounded from the side of a building across the street. 

In warm sunny conditions, the team spent a little more than two hours on the field then after a quick lunch was split into two groups. One boarded a bus and headed to the Tokyo University of Agriculture to watch sumo wrestlers in training and also watch a kendo practice. Some players picked up swords of their own and were instructed in the traditional art. 

Coach Jeff Scurran, event manager Patrick Steenberge and the remaining 20 players took off along the Kawasaki streets, bound for the Tachibana High School. We walked the 15 minutes from the practice field to Kawasaki Station, passing by intrigued locals who do not see a large group of football players in game jerseys walking through the bustling streets and shopping malls every day. Several escalators, steps, tunnels and twists and turns later, the group boarded the subway for a four-stop ride to Tachibana.

For some players it was the first time they had ever been on a train. “I usually just jump in my truck and drive that everywhere,” said John Kredit (Valley Christian HS, AZ).  But in Tokyo and Kawasaki, where the streets are busy during rush hour and just about every other time it seems, driving is rarely an option.  

Side note: the players have all been warned to remember to look to their right whenever they cross the road because in Japan, cars drive on the left, the opposite side to the United States. Crossing the road here can be precarious if you forget. They also have to be careful not to walk into sliding doors that have the word ‘automatic’ on them. What the sign means is that once you start to slide the door open by hand it then automatically opens fully. Just ask equipment manager Jose Duran (Santa Rita HS, AZ) about the ‘automatic’ sliding door that leads to a coffee shop in the coaches’ hotel. 

The group walked through some interesting back streets filled with small shops, market traders and food emporiums (on the return journey, coach Scurran braved a bowl of unidentified fish meat, vegetables and soup from one establishment) to arrive at the school.  

The school’s international studies class had been preparing for the visit and were clearly excited by the players’ arrival. The class of 16 and 17-year-old girls overcame some initial shyness and in no time at all were chatting with their new friends about all the usual things teenagers discuss.  

The group split into three and took turns making traditional Japanese fans (coach Mike Rogers might have found his true vocation here), watching the girls train in the art of performing a Japanese tea ceremony, and cooking California rolls, which seemed to be the most popular class for the ever-hungry boys. 

It was a delight to see how much everyone enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to learn something of the Japanese education system and a reminder that this visit is about so much more than just playing football. 

The welcome banquet that evening opened with a press conference as coach Scurran joined his counterpart coach Uchida along with Team USA spokesman Troy Smith,  Japan captain Yuusuke Ashina, and organizers Patrick Steenberge and Shinzo Yamada in meeting the media.  

Within a few minutes of getting to know each other, the US and Japanese players were chatting like old friends. A scrum formed around a table as a player from each team engaged in a very competitive arm-wrestling competition that provoked loud and excitable jeers or cheers depending upon which combatant won.  

Team USA’s John Kredit discovered that despite being six feet six tall, he will not be the tallest player on the field on Saturday as he stands and inch shorter than Japan’s main receiving threat. And who would have thought when these young athletes compared biceps for bragging rights, the US kicker Michael DiGangi would emerge as the winner!  

Another side note: The saga of DiGangi’s missing bags was nearing an end last night as they were due to land in Tokyo on Tuesday evening 24 hours after the rest of us were able to change into fresh clothes. But Michael’s Dad Dennis is also here in Kawasaki, so went out to buy him some first day essentials. Another lost bag belonged to coach Mike Rogers, whose wife received a phone call back home in Kentucky telling her that his bag had been found successfully – in Barbados! 

As the banquet guests enjoyed a feast of Japanese and western-style food (there was too much even for these hungry football players to consume) everyone was welcomed to Kawasaki by the city Mayor Mr. Abe and by event sponsor Mr. Fujimori from GE. 

The players posed for countless photos with their Japanese opponents, host families, dignitaries, game official Bill Lemonnier and the girls from Tachibana High School during a very enjoyable evening.  

Then it was back to the homes of their host families and another night of rest and all-you-can-eat breakfasts before Wednesday’s important two-a-day practices. 

Coming up in Wednesday’s blog… practice and more practice, a visit to the Mayor’s office…

Every day, Michael Preston, who is responsible for Team USA media relations, will post a blog here on GlobalFootball.com…

If the 4.45am alarm failed to wake up the team USA contingent preparing to leave the Mission Valley Resort in San Diego then the load claps of thunder would have stirred them from their beds.

The scene of palm trees bending in the stormy winds and the torrential rain had team manager Patrick Steenberge wondering whether or not the traveling party would be able to leave a rain soaked southern California in time to make a flight connection to Tokyo in San Francisco. As is turned out there was no cause for concern. Three hours after several players had been caught on the hotel car park midway between checking out of their rooms and reaching the team bus, the hail and rain that had soaked them had subsided and the skies were clear.

We were on our way – or so we thought. 

The tired contingent sat aboard a United flight unable to take off since the plane’s catering supplies had not been delivered. Forty five minutes later San Diego was finally becoming ever smaller in the distance and San Francisco soon loomed into view. 

A representative from ANA airlines whisked everyone bound for a likely delayed flight 0007 to Tokyo Narita international through the airport at a brisk pace. And boy could this lady fly! If any of the Japanese running back are related to this lady coach Surran’s boys had better watch out as she rushed us all to the ANA check in desk leaving a few stragglers to get lost along the way. After some confusion over the reprinting of boarding passes and a collection of passports, there was one hurried pass through the security mags before the team boarded the 737. 

Leg room was certainly at a premium and some reshuffling of the seat assignments allowed the taller members of the party to find much sought after aisle seats. It must pay to be the quarterback since Daniel Nicholas found himself with a premium bulkhead seat albeit in the middle seat. It pays to be the coach too. Business class has its obvious perks. 

Those of us on the starboard side of the plane were treated to a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and Marin County during take off. Rob Moran, the sole Californian on the team, might well have been able to see his Portola Valley home from the port side. With a choice of a dozen movies on demand – from Atonement to National Treasure and subtitled Japanese movies to the sound of Music - there should have been little chance for boredom to set in even if the flight is 11 hours long. There were games, quizzes and a map of our progress on the individual screen in the back of each seat in front.  

When the food came, the mixture of sushi, cold noodles and seaweed raised a few eyebrows but they accompanied a choice of pork or cod and there didn’t appear to be many disappointed appetites. A first shot at perfecting the art of using chopsticks was welcomed by many though everyone seemed to defer to a spoon when it came to devouring the ice cream. 

The cabin lights were dimmed for the first time, almost four hours into the flight. Because of the peculiarities of crossing the international dateline the team did not see the sun set during the flight and relied on people to close their window blinds to help people to sleep. Everyone’s body clocks were sure to be out since 4.30pm PST was 8.30am in Japan and the team was due to arrive at around 3pm Monday local time having missed out Sunday night and Monday morning completely, while it would still be yesterday in some parts of the Unites States. Confused? Yeah, me too! 

Once safely in Japan, it emerged that kicker Michael DiGangi’s personal luggage and equipment bag were still back in San Francisco and will not arrive in Tokyo until Tuesday evening. 

The team traveled a further 90 minutes by bus from Tokyo Narita Airport to the Kawasaki Stadium site of Saturday’s game, where they were paired with Japanese host families. No sooner had they arrived than they were off to new and unfamiliar but hospitable homes for their first night in Japan. The evening was not yet finished for the coaches, who went through some x’s and o’s on a whiteboard before finally calling it a day. 

On Tuesday’s agenda… practice, a visit to a sumo and kendo school, a visit to a local high school to talk with students, the GE Global Challenge Bowl press conference and Welcome Banquet…

Saturday, March 15, 2008 – SAN DIEGO, CA – Team USA broke training camp at the University of San Diego on Saturday as they prepared to head to Kawasaki, Japan to take part in the GE Global Challenge Bowl. 

The 40-player Team USA roster held four practices during two days under the guidance of head coach Jeff Scurran (Santa Rita High School, Tucson, AZ) and his coaching staff. On Sunday they will fly to Tokyo and are due to arrive on Monday afternoon local time before transferring to the suburb of Kawasaki where the players will live with Japanese host families. Team USA will practice twice daily from Tuesday through Friday. 

Offering the high school senior all-stars words of advice as they prepare for an exciting cultural experience and to take on Team Japan in the Kawasaki Stadium on Saturday, March 22 was San Diego Chargers linebacker Jyles Tucker.  

“Whatever you do, whether it is in pursuit of excellence on the football field or in another walk of life, you have to have a strong work ethic,” Tucker told Team USA.

“To be successful you have to work hard at everything you do. “I never had the opportunity to play in an all-star game, and I certainly would have liked to have played in one like this against another country. I am sure you’ll all enjoy your visit to Japan and wish you good luck in winning the game.” 

Team USA again practiced in full pads and fine-tuned its game plan before enjoying a team dinner at Seau’s Restaurant in San Diego. With the team conspicuous in red white and blue USA jackets, quarterback Daniel Nicholas (Canyon Del Oro High School, AZ), the Southern Arizona Player of the Year, was asked to pose for photographs and sign autographs by well-wishers at the restaurant. 

Coach Scurran selected his roster from 12 states and 27 high schools and assembled a coaching staff that hails from Arizona, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Full details of the Team USA players and coaching staff can be found at the event website www.GlobalFootball.com.  

Away from the football field, the team will enjoy a Toshiba factory tour, visit a local high school, observe Sumo and Kendo club practices and watch the Boston Red Sox complete their Major League Baseball preseason against the Yomiuri Giants at the Tokyo Dome.

Thursday, March 13, 2008 – San Diego Chargers linebacker Jyles Tucker will attend the final Team USA practice of a two-day training camp at the University of San Diego at 2pm on Saturday, March 15. 

Tucker, who won AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors as a rookie during the 2007 NFL season, will meet the 40-player Team USA roster that is traveling to Kawasaki, Japan to play in the GE Global Challenge Bowl.  

Team USA holds its camp at Manchester Field at the University of San Diego at 10am and 2pm on both Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15. The high school seniors will then travel to Japan for a week of practices, sightseeing and a unique cultural experience, before taking on the Japanese junior national team on March 22. 

“We are delighted that Jyles and the Chargers have given us their support and the team will be excited to listen to words of advice and inspiration from an NFL player,” said Team USA head coach Jeff Scurran of Santa Rita High School, Tucson, AZ. 

Tucker, who will himself travel overseas when the Chargers play at Wembley Stadium in London in October, recorded three sacks and a fumble recovery for a touchdown as San Diego won 30-17 at Oakland in the final week of the regular season. 

Before Tucker’s visit, Scurran will spend valuable hours on the practice field preparing a group selected from 12 states and 27 high schools, who began arriving in San Diego on Thursday. 

“The first thing we have to do is bond as a team,” said Scurran. “At this point we are trying to teach them some of the terminology so that they will have a better idea of what we are doing.” 

Scurran has assembled a coaching staff that hails from Arizona, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Full details of the Team USA players and coaching staff can be found at the event website www.GlobalFootball.com.  

“Having held coaching clinics all over the country, I have been exposed to some great coaches in all the states I’ve visited and some of them are here on this coaching staff,” explained Scurran. “I have chosen those who will get on well together and teach the same philosophy of the game to the players. I want guys who know how to take care of the individual athlete as well as coach the team.” 

While in San Diego, the Team USA all-stars will also have an opportunity to relax at a local beach and visit the San Diego Hall of Champions.

Team USA GE Global Challenge Bowl Schedule for San Diego: 

Fri March 14     
10am             Practice at the University of San Diego (ends 12pm)                          
2pm              Practice at the University of San Diego (ends 4pm)

Sat March 15    
8.45am          Team Photo at Manchester Field, University of San Diego                          
10am             Practice at the University of San Diego (ends 12pm)                          
2pm              Practice at the University of San Diego (ends 4pm) 

Sun March 16   
8.20am          Flight from San Diego to San Francisco / Tokyo                                               

Jyles Tucker
Position: LB
College: Wake Forest
Height: 6-3 / Weight: 258
Age: 24 Experience: R / Acquired: UDFA ‘07
Hometown: Dover, N.J.  

TRANSACTION HISTORY: Signed two-year contract with Chargers as undrafted rookie, May 4, 2007.  2007: Played first career game on special teams Nov. 25 vs. Baltimore after being signed from practice squad…shared fourth-quarter sack eight-yard sack with Shaun Phillips Dec. 2 at K.C….tied Tim Dobbins team high with three special teams tackles against Detroit Dec. 16…named AFC Defensive Player of Week and GMC Defensive Player of Week following coming out party at Oakland Dec. 30 with three sacks and first-career NFL touchdown…started series in third quarter with nine-yard sack on first-down…then on third-and-13 play, sacked Russell and forced fumble, and loose ball rolled into end zone where Tucker recovered…was first touchdown since freshman year at Wake Forest when he sacked and stripped current Charger teammate and former Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst and returned ball 12 yards for touchdown…later sealed 30-17 win over Raiders with late fourth-quarter sack and forced fumble on fourth-and-two play with under one minute remaining in game.

COLLEGE: Honorable mention All-ACC as senior…named ACC Rookie of Week after first career start vs. Clemson during which he stripped QB Charlie Whitehurst of ball and returned it 12 yards for touchdown…finished career with 85 tackles, nine sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss…played at Wake Forest from 2003-07…majored in religion.PERSONAL: Born in Morristown, New Jersey…attended Hargrave Military Academy after graduating from Morristown Beard High School…four year starter at Morristown as defensive end and quarterback…named to New Jersey’s All-Prep School Team…started four years at small forward on school’s basketball team and competed in track, winning conference championship in shot put. 

Jeff Scurran ▪      Head Coach / OC     Santa Rita High School       Tucson, AZ
Coach Jeff Scurran’s current record as a high school and college coach is
231-75. In 2007 he was selected by the Arizona Republic as the state’s Large
School Coach of the Year for taking the Santa Rita Eagles from 0-10 to 11-2,
the biggest turnaround in state history. Coach Scurran has been State Coach of the
Year four times and 14 times at the district or local level.  Scurran is arguably most famous in his hometown of Tucson and throughout much of Arizona for his career as the highly successful head football coach of the Sabino Sabercats at Sabino High School from 1988 through 1999. Scurran turned what was once a failing program into one of national stature. He won three state titles in 12 years at Sabino, dominating Arizona’s 4A football division for almost a decade. 

John Storey ▪ Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line    Villa Angela St. Joseph        Cleveland, OH
John Storey is head coach for football and wrestling at Villa-Angela Saint Joseph High in Cleveland, Ohio. Before returning to his alma mater, he coached football and wrestling for 30 years at Saint Joseph High. Storey has coached 23 players who reached the NFL such as, Desmond Howard, Heisman Trophy winner and Super Bowl MVP and Bob Golic, Cleveland Browns. Storey was inducted into the Ohio High School Wrestling Hall of Fame on March 1, 2008. 

Greg Patrick ▪  Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers        Valley Christian Chandler, OH
Greg Patrick, a former professional football player, has six years experience as defensive coordinator for Valley Christian High School in Chandler, Ohio. During this tenure, Patrick and his team have been very successful, reaching the state semi-finals three times and won the Arizona State Championship in 2005. The team has set the state record twice for YPG allowed, PPG allowed, turnovers forced, and defensive scoring.  Patrick was AIA Defensive Coach of the Year in 2005 and coached the North / South All-Star game in 2006.  

Kevin Amidan ▪    Offensive Line       Santa Rita High School         Tucson, AZ
As a four-year varsity player under head coach Jeff Scurran, Kevin started three consecutive state championship football games in Arizona, winning one and then went on to play for Coach Scurran at Pima Community College. He coached the offensive line at Pima Community College as the team finished fifth in the nation and was victorious in the Pilgrims Pride Bowl in Texas. At Santa Rita High School, he and coach Scurran took over a 0-10 program and finished the year 11-2 playing in the state semi finals. 

Mike Rogers ▪    Defensive Backs             Graves County    Fern Creek, KY
Coach Rogers’ record as a high school coach is 30-17. Rogers has had more than 50 players go on to the collegiate level and in excess of 200 academic all state players. In 2005 and 2006 the Kentucky High School Football Associated named Rogers Assistant Coach of the Year while at Nelson County High School with a career record of 73-25. In 2002, Rogers was named Assistant Coach of the Year by the Greater Louisville Football Coaches Association.