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Coach Kyle is warmed up and ready to go; here are the answers to some of your most-asked IFAF questions

By Eddie Dwyer, 06/15/09, 12:00AM EDT

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As we discussed on June 3 at “The Corner,’’ as some of Saint Ignatius’ athletes like to refer to this page, Wildcats head football coach Chuck Kyle '69 will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Tuesday night’s 7:05 Indians-Milwaukee Brewers game at Progressive Field.

The ceremonial first pitch is part of the festivities for the IFAF Junior World Championship, which will take place June 27 to July 5 at Canton’s legendary Fawcett Stadium.

Coach Kyle will lead Team USA in an international football competition that features the world’s eight best 19-and-under junior national teams - USA, Canada, Mexico, Japan, France, Germany, Sweden and New Zealand.

Team USA, which features several outstanding players from the high school graduating class of 2009, including Wildcats All-Ohio safety Pat Hinkel, will face France in a first-round game on June 27. The kickoff at Fawcett Stadium will be 8 p.m.

If successful against France, the USA will take on the winner of Mexico vs. Sweden on July 1 at 7 p.m. The Bronze Medal Game is scheduled for July 4 at 7 p.m., and the Gold Medal Game is slated for July 5 at 1 p.m. Fox College Sports will air live broadcasts of the Bronze Medal and Gold Medal games.

Tickets will be available at the gates for all of the IFAF games, but more ticket information can be obtained at www.JWCfootball.com.

France is led by quarterback Maxime Sprauel, the youngest signal-caller at the domestic senior level in France while playing for the Thonon les Bains Black Panthers in the French Alps, near the Swiss border.

Along with the tournament schedule and television and ticket information, Saint Ignatius fans and other football-savvy fans around Cleveland have inquired as to why Canada garnered the No.1 seed over Team USA, which is making its debut in the international competition. Here is a news-release response from IFAF President Tommy Wiking.

“On behalf of IFAF and the more than 50 countries on five continents that love and play organized football, we are ecstatic to have the world's best compete in the world's greatest football setting,” Wiking said of Fawcett Stadium, which is adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and recently unveiled its new state-of-the-art press box. “We felt that Canada's exceptional record in international junior competition during recent years warranted the top seed.’’

Canada's junior national team has won the past three NFL Global Junior Championships, held during Super Bowl week from 1997 to 2007, and was also the Global Champion in 2000.

This corner will be heading to Walsh University for practice later this week and will file an update for Saint Ignatius fans and others who follow friends and relatives on the Wildcats’ athletic website.

Meanwhile, here are some numbers to chew on, courtesy of the IFAF and the Canton/Stark County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

2009 IFAF Junior World Championship - By The Numbers.
8 – nations represented at the IFAF Junior World Championship
4 – continents represented in Fawcett Stadium
360 – football players aged 19 and under who will take part in the tournament
80 – football coaches from eight nations
32 – football officials calling IFAF Junior World Championship action
15 – countries represented by IFAF Junior World Championship game officials
12 – games played to determine IFAF’s first Junior World Champion
1,500 – team family members and guests expected to visit Canton
50 – television production and media personnel in attendance
$4,475,000 – IFAF Junior World Championship’s economic impact on Northeast Ohio