Good Times in Columbus

With two events under out belt the Team USA Road Tour is officially rockin’ and rollin’. After spending a few days checking out the sights of city, and having a little fun with the locals  it was time to get to business on Friday with our first event. Mick and I arrived at Upper Arlington High School just pass three as the kids were checking out for the weekend. We rolled the bus through the parking lot and into the mega sports complex of Upper Arlington. Setting up at  a perfect location just inside the entrance gate to their Lacrosse game against Detroit Country Day. Soon after setup we were quickly swarmed with people, trying their skills at the football toss and getting pictures taken with the Official Team USA gear. The best thing about the event was that we were partnering up with the school to raise money for a great cause, the Stefanie Spielman Foundation. There was a huge range of support and participation, from the community, her Sunday school students, and the Spielman family.

It was a quick turn around the next morning for the Ohio State spring game. With a crowd of over 95,000 in attendance we knew had to get there early and be on our “A” game. We began our setup on the south side of the stadium early as the sun began to rise and stadium workers slowly arrived.What started as a beautiful and pleasant morning turned into a blistering hot and windy day as the game kicked off. While this was not an “official” game you would never know by the turnout. With tailgaters out, security patrolling, and lines stretching around the stadium I would of swore it was early fall.

The highlight of the day came when Mick and I were able to meet Team USA head coach Chuck Kyle and escort him onto the field. As we walked down the north ramp,  there was a different feeling in the stadium compared to our first visit a few days earlier. This time as we entered the field the stadium was packed. Screaming fans, pads crushing against each other, and a massive amount of security, media and trainers were spread throughout the field. This was truly “Game Day.” As we waited for the 3rd quarter break to be recognized I had a chance to talk with coach Kyle. A very intelligent, sincere, and down to earth person. It was refreshing to see that despite all of his success, including his ten state championships, there was no feeling of arrogance or cockiness. This from a guy with a list of accomplishments as long as any high school football coach in the country.

One thing coach Kyle  spoke about that I found interesting was the way he plans to get Team USA familiarized with plays in such a short amount of time. With only a few weeks of practice available before the Junior World Championship he’s breaking out all the stops. Including developing a video game similar to “Madden”  that players can use to learn about the different formations and routs in the playbook; a very innovative way to get players excited about learning.

Columbus has been a great experience for Mick and I, but it’s time to move on. Though our surroundings have become familiar it’s our duty to gas up the bus and  get on the road,  spreading the word about Team USA and the Junior World Championship. Make sure to keep following along as our crazy adventures roll on.

Till next time, and check out our pictures!

Matt