Endicott College’s Kyle Hopewell will be trading in his Gulls’ navy blue and green this summer, to wear America’s red, white and blue as a member of the United States team competing in the International Federation of American Football U-19 World Championships, which kick off in Kuwait next month.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound freshman from Swansboro, N.C., was selected by USA Football in May, along with 44 other high school and college football players, to represent the country in the eight-nation tournament.
“It’s a real honor, honestly,” said Hopewell. “I’ve never been one to go into the military. My dad was in it for 23 years, so to be able to represent our country by playing a sport I love is really a great honor for me and I feel like it’s a great opportunity.”
Hopewell will take the field as one of the three quarterbacks on the U.S roster, after red shirting the past season at Endicott with a pre-existing shoulder injury. The 18 year-old just started playing again in March and did some pretty rigorous training to get himself back into shape.
With the first two installments of the world championships being played in Canton, Ohio (2009) and Austin, Texas (2012), this is the first time the tournament is being held in a non-U.S. setting. The American team won the inaugural event, but fell to Canada in the gold medal match two years ago.
The U.S squad, led by head coach Aaron Brady of Malvern Prep, will get together for a week-long training camp at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va., beginning June 25 before flying out to the Middle East on July 2.
With temperatures expected to soar as high as 115 degrees, Hopewell admitted it’s not something the guys are accustomed to.
“Personally, I feel like no one’s really used to it and we don’t really get used to it because we’re only going to be there for a little bit,” said Hopewell. “But I feel like all of our games are at 8 and 11 p.m, so by then, it’s supposed to be in the 70’s from what I’ve heard, so it shouldn’t be that bad.”
The United States team will take on Mexico in its opening pool game on July 7, followed by contests against Germany and Japan. But Williams Head Coach Aaron Kelton, who will coach the defensive line for the U-19 squad, acknowledged the team’s toughest challenge comes from defending champion Canada.
“I think Canada poses the biggest challenge for us, because you know American football is played there more,” said Kelton.
The Ephs coach is joined by two of his players, center back Taysean Scott and defensive tackle John Fives, on the national team. He believes the experience both will gain from traveling to the other side of the world, will go a long way in their development as football players.
Having taken a look at the roster, Kelton was quite hopeful of his team’s chances and impressed with the depth and quality of the U.S team.
“I’ve had a chance to watch the guys that I’m going to coach and there are some pretty good players there,” said Kelton. “What I want to do is create an atmosphere and opportunity for these young men to have one of the most memorable experiences that they’ll have in their lifetime being on this team.”