[See full gallery]

After meeting with representatives from the eight competing nations at the Junior World Championship Official Flag Raising Ceremony in Canton, Matt and I packed up our gear and headed north to St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland. St. Ignatius is home to Head Coach Chuck Kyle and Team USA DB, Pat Hinkel.

Coach Kyle is one of the most successful coaches in Ohio high school football history. No other prep program has won more football titles since the inception of the state’s playoff system in 1972 than St. Ignatius. He has 10 state championships, three national championships, and named coach of the year several times. However, Kyle is quite humble and rarely talks about his success. An attribute that we also found in Team USA’s Pat Hinkel.

At 6′1 190-lbs, Hinkle played strong safety for Kyle at St. Ignatius, which won their 10th championship this past season. Hinkle was dressed in a shirt and tie for the interview, although not the tie he normally would wear. Students at St. Ignatius take great pride in wearing the same tie all four years, which is often frayed by the end of their senior year.

As the only player on Team USA to have first-hand experience under Kyle, Hinkel is confident that the other players will respond to him. “He is a great motivator, and teaches you life lessons on and off the field,” added Hinkel. When pushed for insight into what other team members may expect from Kyle, Hinkel said, “Do things right the first time. And don’t take any shortcuts.”

Coach Kyle was eager to talk about Hinkel’s selection to Team USA. “I was hoping that one of my kids would have the opportunity. You need guys like Pat Hinkel,” said Kyle. Hinkel is an unselfish player and someone Coach Kyle can count on to make the play. Hinkel earned all-district and second-team all-state honors, as well as serving as captain for both football and basketball.

Kyle is looking forward to meeting other players, and getting Team USA ready for competition. Developing camaraderie, brotherhood, and friendship between teammates will be the key to success. ”We have a limited amount of time; it will be interesting to see how quickly these kids can form a team,” added Kyle.

As we made our way through the campus of St. Ignatius, yes it’s a campus, we learned more about not only the football tradition but the history of St. Ignatius. The school opened in 1886, and was known as St Ignatius College. Students were admitted after six years of grammar school and received a bachelor’s degree. There was no distinction between high school and college. In 1902 high school and college departments were established, and the high school program was extended to four years. In 1923 the college department changed its name to John Carroll University and moved to University Heights in 1935. St. Ignatius High School has remained at the original location.

- Mick

When Mick and I learned about the Official Junior World Championship Flag Raising Ceremony taking place in Canton on Friday we knew we had to make a small detour to check it out. With representatives from all the participating countries, the IFAF, USA football,  and Canton city officials on on hand, as well as another stop to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, this was an opportunity too good  to pass up.

[See full gallery]

The official ceremony took place in downtown Canton where each country was introduced followed by a short speech from the representative, pictures, and then the countries flag hoisted. There was a good crowd to witness the festivities, all braving the chance of showers, but luckily the weather held out. As soon as the ceremony wrapped up, Mick and I couldn’t help interviewing people about the JWC. We even had a chance to speak with Canton Mayor William Healy, who was very excited about the opportunity to host the JWC.

It was an amazing opporutniy to speak with the all the other countires repersrenatives. each very excited about the junior world championship, but all with disdcitly different goals for the games. Check back later for photos and video!

-Matt

With the Official IFAF Junior World Championship Flag Raising Event now complete, Matt and I will be headed to Cleveland’s St. Ignatius to interview Team USA DB Pat Hinkle. St. Ignatius is also the home of Team USA’s Head Coach Chuck Kyle. Over the past 26 years as head coach, Chuck Kyle has built St. Ignatius into a football powerhouse. He has won three national championships and ten division I state titles.  He has been named Coach of the year in Ohio in 1988 and 1989 and national Coach of the year in 1989 and 1993 and compiled a 262-57-1 record.

The Wildcats have produced NFL players Chris Hovan (Tampa Bay), Jacob Bell (St. Louis) and Anthony Gonzalez (Indianapolis) along with the recently retired LeCharles Bentley. More than ten Wildcats are at Division I programs such as Notre Dame, USC, Vanderbilt, North Carolina, and Boston College.

Hinkle, 6′1 190-lb, will be headed to Miami (OH) this fall. As a senior, he helped the Wildcats earn Ohio’s 2008 Division I State Championship with a 14-1 record. He recorded seven interceptions, earned all-district and second-team all-state honors.

Matt and I will be in downtown Canton, Ohio – Market Street Plaza today at 11 am for the Official Flag Raising Ceremony for the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship. We will be meeting representatives of the eight countries competing in the JWC. We hope to ask them about them about American Football in their country as well as the Junior World Championship. I am brushing up on my Spanish, and Matt is practicing his French. Afterward, we’re headed to Cleveland St. Ignatius to visit with Team USA DB Pat Hinkel.

Adios and  Au revoir.

- Mick

The USA Football Road Tour will be passing through Westlake, Ohio on this date:

• Fri, May 8

Check back on this post to see where Matt and Mick will be setting up or follow the Road Tour’s Twitter feed: http://www.twitter.com/TeamUSAFootball.