Jan Jenmert has developed quite a unique practice regimen for his roster of 19-and-unders.
The Team World head coach and his international squad of 45 elite players have been training in Fort Lauderdale, FLA. for the past week, preparing for their match-up against the best American high school footballers for the International Football Federation of America (IFAF) junior championship.
The coach has implemented a unique series of warm-up activities that focus on connecting the body, mind, and soul.
“The team has really come together,” said Laurier wide receiver Alex Anthony. “At first there was a language barrier, but we’ve overcome it.”
With the clash of cultures from Japan, Mexico, Sweden, Canada, American Samoa, Germany, France and Australia, hand signals have been implemented as the primary means of communication between players and coaches.
“At first I was a little bit skeptical,” confessed Anthony. “But it’s all come together.”
The 18-year old first-year will be starting as a wide receiver in the January 30th game, wearing a white and blue jersey to represent the World. He stands as one of thirty one players from Canada, one of nine from the Ontario University Athletics (OUA), and the solo representative from Wilfrid Laurier.
“I’m having so much fun,” said Anthony. “This is the experience of a lifetime.”
When speaking of his opponents Anthony admits, “they’re the American dream team.”
“But I think our team is so much better than it was back in Canton, Ohio [2009 world junior championship], so I think we’ll put up a good show.”
In Canton the US junior team defeated Team Canada in the championship game by a score of 41-3.
Anthony stands as the first football player in school history to represent Laurier at the international level.
“People think football is just an American sport but we’re showing that it’s not,” he says.
