IFAF: Team World selects captains – Mulumba & Smith represent Canada & Kent

IFAF WORLD TEAM SELECTS SIX CAPTAINS TO LEAD THE WORLD INTO BATTLE

Six players will captain the IFAF World Team, leading the 50-man roster against the U.S. Under-19 National Team at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in the 2012 International Bowl on Wednesday evening.

FB 88 Destiny Vaeao (American Samoa)

WR 7 Jahlani Gilbert-Knorren (Canada)

RG 63 Matthias Goosen (Canada)

LB 53 John Rush (Canada)

SS 5 Marcus Grandison (Canada)

DE 50 David Katina (American Samoa) (injured)

IFAF World Team Head Coach Greg Marshall

“Things have gone extremely well. We’ve got a great group of players, very cooperative and enthusiastic. We’ve also got an outstanding group of coaches. I’m very impressed with the talent of the international coaches. Good people and great mentors for these young men.”

Mexican defensive back Sergio Schaffino

“We want to prove that Mexico, Canada, Japan and other countries can play at the level of the United States.”

TODAY – Wednesday, February 1

7.30am: Players from the IFAF World Team and U.S. Under-19 National Team commit to U.S. colleges at a national signing day breakfast.

5pm: World Team vs. U.S. Under-19 National Team at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex

Tevaun Smith & Chris Mulumba represent Canada & Kent School

The sports universe is full of tales of underdog triumphs and Wednesday night, the IFAF World team hopes to write their own. They will take on the US Under-19 National Team in the 2012 International Bowl.

On the World Team roster is Canadian wide receiver Tevaun Smith, who, with one play, showed the world that there are some chinks in the US Team’s armour. In the 2011 International Bowl, Smith returned a kickoff 79 yards to score the first touchdown ever conceded by the US Team on this stage.

“It meant a lot because it set the bar for the World Team. It made them realize that we can actually compete with the USA,” said Smith of his 2011 International Bowl touchdown.

Smith is joined on the World Team by his prep school teammate and fellow Canadian, linebacker Chris Mulumba. Smith and Mulumba attend Kent School in Kent, Connecticut.

Mulumba travelled to Austin to train with the IFAF Development Team. Tuesday night, he was one of the six Development Team athletes elevated to the World Team for the International Bowl. Mulumba is thrilled that his efforts paid off.

“I feel good,” said Mulumba. “On the Development Team I had to compete on every play to move up. I made it, so I’m happy.”

Kent’s football team was undefeated in the 2011 regular season and played in the prestigious New England Bowl. Smith and Mulumba received Erickson League Player of the Year honors for offense and defence, respectively.

For both Smith and Mulumba, playing for Kent and in the New England Bowl has been life-changing. It meant Mulumba, who is from French-speaking Laval, Quebec, had to learn a new language, and Smith, from Toronto, Ontario, had the opportunity to play in completely new type of game.

“It was a great experience to go out there and play in the championship game,” said Smith. “That was the first championship game I’ve played in my whole life.”

Even after competing among some of the northeast’s toughest prep school talent, Smith and Mulumba believe the International Bowl’s participants are unmatched.

“The World Team is a higher level [of play than high school] because everybody is the best from within their country,” Smith said.”In high school, there’s still a lot of great athletes out there, but there’s just a lot more competition here.”

The US Team won the 2011 International Bowl by a narrow margin. The score was 21-14, which is the closest the World Team has ever come to victory over the US Team.

The World Team intends to build on their momentum from 2011 and put all their preparation into effect tomorrow.

“I think our goal is to be prepared and just beat USA,” Smith said. “We want to come home with the ‘W.'”

Win or lose, Smith and Mulumba have promising futures in football. Both will be signing letters of intent Wednesday morning-Smith to Iowa and Mulumba to Maine-and both are eager to begin their collegiate careers.

“I’m really excited to go to college now, to get high school all over with and get better every year,” said Smith. “I want to become the best receiver I can be.”

“It’s going to be a new way of life. I can’t wait to start it,” added Mulumba.