Teames Depart Ten Countries 3 Continents For FFWC

　　Teams Depart Ten Countries, Three Continents For NFL Flag Football World Championship in Beijing

　　THE YOUNGSTERS taking part in the 2005 NFL Flag Football World Championship (FFWC) in Beijing will embark on the trip of a lifetime when they depart for China this weekend.

　　Teams of 12 to 14-year-olds from Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, Thailand and USA will compete for the world crown at the Dong Dan Sports Complex, situated half a mile from Tiananmen Square, in Beijing. The competition will be spread over three consecutive days with a round robin format played by two groups of five teams to determine the four semi finalists and ultimately the two teams that will play for the world title.

　　The teams begin arriving in Beijing on Monday and Tuesday then will spend a day sightseeing as they visit the Great Wall of China and eat lunch at the Golden Palace. Having visited Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City on Wednesday, the teams will then kick off the Preliminary Rounds of the FFWC from 3pm to 8pm.

　　Friday follows a similar pattern with a Beijing Zoo Panda Tour followed by another five hours of flag football action. On Saturday the teams will play for final placing according to their order of finish in the group standings. The semi finals will kickoff at 2pm and the Championship Game at the XianNongTan Stadium at 3.30pm.

　　The United States’ representative and reigning FFWC champion the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center from Miami, Florida, has already left home shores for China. The team flew to Beijing and then traveled on to Shanghai on Wednesday after a busy period of activity saw them attend Miami Dolphins training camp, throw the ceremonial first pitch at a Florida Marlins game and appear live on ESPN.

　　“It was fantastic to watch the tournament last year and to actually now be playing myself is a dream come true,” said Evan Grabois, whose older teammates won the championship in Vancouver in 2004. “My brother was part of that winning team and I hope to match his success and again bring home gold for the United States.”

　　Fans, family, friends and media can follow each team’s every move by logging onto the website www.NFLYouthFootball.com, which will be updated daily from Beijing. Game recaps, quotes, player diaries and the highlights from each day of flag football action will be featured on the FFWC section.

　　The site will also feature an interactive e-card that will allow visitors to browse through photo galleries from China and send an e-card to friends. Players from the competing teams will have the opportunity to email photos of themselves in action back home to family and friends.