The fifth International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Senior World Championship is July 9-18 in Canton, Ohio. Eight national teams comprised of men age 20 and older will compete during four rounds of play to earn the gold medal.
The field will include Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and the United States, the two-time defending champion. As the sport’s national governing body, USA Football assembles America’s national teams for international competition and will serve as tournament host. Dan Hawkins, former head coach at Boise State and Colorado, will lead the 2015 U.S. Men’s National Team.
Hawkins was 53-11 at Boise State from 2001-05, winning four consecutive Western Athletic Conference titles. His teams compiled a 31-game WAC winning streak, the longest in conference history. His five seasons at Colorado (2006-10) included a win over No. 3 Oklahoma in 2007, the same year he led the Buffaloes to the Independence Bowl. Prior to Boise State, Hawkins coached Willamette University in Salem, Ore., to a 40-12-1 record from 1993-97, earning two conference titles and a 1997 NAIA championship game berth. Currently serving as a college football analyst for ESPN and SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Hawkins also was the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League in 2013.
“I am extremely humbled and honored to be selected to lead the 2015 U.S. Men’s National Team,” said Hawkins, whose son, Cody Hawkins, started at quarterback for the 2011 U.S. Men’s National Team and was named to the IFAF 2011 all-tournament team. “I am excited about being part of the program. Representing our country and USA Football while further strengthening our game internationally is a unique and special opportunity.”
All games will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Round robin matchups are July 9, 12 and 15 with consolation games and the medal round on Saturday, July 18. U.S. assistant coaches, players, groupings and game times will be announced at a later date.
The IFAF Senior World Championship has been held every four years since 1999. The United States defeated Canada, 50-7, in Vienna, Austria, for the 2011 gold medal. The U.S. beat Japan, 23-20, in double overtime in Kawasaki, Japan, to win the 2007 tournament, the first that included Team USA. Prior to the United States’ participation, Japan earned gold medals at the first two IFAF Senior World Championships played in Palermo, Italy (1999), and Frankfurt, Germany (2003).
IFAF is working with 78 countries spanning six continents that possess national federations dedicated to American football. Among the world’s fastest-growing international federations of sport, IFAF has grown from 21 member nations in 2006.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) granted IFAF provisional IOC recognition in December 2013. A vote on football becoming an Olympic sport could take place as early as 2017. If approved, football would join the Summer Olympics lineup in 2024 at a host city yet to be determined.
About USA Football: Indianapolis-based USA Football (www.usafootball.com) is the sport’s national governing body, leading the game’s development for youth, high school and other amateur players. The independent nonprofit partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and sport to establish important standards rooted in education. USA Football trains more high school and youth football coaches combined than any organization in the U.S., advancing coaching education and player skill development for safer play and positive experiences through athletics. Follow USA Football at www.facebook.com/usafootball or on Twitter @USAFootball.
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