USA Football

 

Three of the twelve high school student-athletes playing football and studying in the United States through the USA Football International Student Program (ISP) meet in game action in Connecticut this weekend.

 

BJOERN WERNER, PAUL MEHLING and GREGOR LIETZAU, who all hail from Berlin, Germany, will face each other when Kent School (1-3) travels to Salisbury School (4-0) for a game that kicks off at 2.30pm in Salisbury, CT. The trio will renew an old rivalry since Werner is a former member of the Berlin Adler junior team, while Mehling and Lietzau played for cross city rivals the Berlin Rebels.

 

The ISP initiative affords top foreign students to experience the educational and athletic resources that American high schools offer.  Established in 2006, the program features student-athletes from China, Denmark, Germany and Mexico, who are attending prep schools in Connecticut, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

 

Werner is a sophomore defensive end who has made the transition to the gridiron since his first game on U.S. soil when he recorded a sack for a safety as Salisbury School beat Hotchkiss School, 9-6, on September 22. He also chalked up 3.0 sacks, 10 tackles, and knocked down a pass.

 

Werner, who fills in on the offensive line and handles kicking duties, said: “I like playing defense the most because I get to tackle and hit people. I don’t really like offense. I want to keep playing football for as long as I possibly can because the game means everything to me.”

 

Mehling is in his second year in the International Student Program and is consistently among the leading Kent tacklers while teammate Lietzau starts at split end and is his school’s place kicker.

 

“It is going to be fun because we last played against Bjoern two years ago,” explained Mehling. “It is always a challenge to shut him down because he is a very good player. It will be good competition for us again.”

 

The ISP students, aged 16 to 19, are selected each spring for either a three-year (sophomore to senior years) or a post graduate program.  Accepted student-athletes apply online to ISP high schools that suit their academic and athletic abilities. The program is funded by USA Football, but students may also qualify for merit scholarships from their host high school.

 

 

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Games being played this week involving International Student Program athletes:

 

Friday, October 19 - Pennsylvania

Mercersburg Academy at Bullis School, 7pm

 

Saturday, October 20 - New Hampshire 

Kimball Union Academy at Portsmouth Abbey School, 2pm

Pomfret School at New Hampton School, 2.30pm

 

Saturday, October 20 - Connecticut

Kent School at Salisbury School, 2.30pm

 

Saturday, October 20 - North Carolina

Hickory Grove at Christ School, 2pm

 

USA Football International Student Program 2007 Athletes – The Season So Far

 

School                                     Player                          Position           Hometown / Country

 

Christ School, NC                     Danny Agee                 TE/QB/LB         Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Agee has emerged as a reliable kicker, making six of six field goal attempts so far this season including a game-winning 27-yarder in a 13-10 victory over Forsyth Country Day School. He had tied the game earlier in the fourth quarter from 23 yards. It was the first time the Greenies had attempted a field goal in five years.

 

Head coach Ben Williamson said: “Danny has been an incredible asset for us this year. He began the season as a receiver and still contributes in a reserve role in that position. Danny’s biggest contribution has been as a kicker.”

 

Agee said: “I played quarterback at home in Mexico, so I am used to pressure and being a leader. There is a lot of pressure in kicking, so I like it and it’s a good way to help out the team.”

 

Christ School, NC                     Hannes Toewe             DL/OL              Jersbek, Germany

Primarily a defensive lineman, Toewe has also established himself as the Greenies’ starting center.

 

Head coach Ben Williamson said: “Hannes is incredibly consistent, intelligent and well-liked. He improves every week at center for us and will be integral to our success up front for the rest of the year.”

 

Kent School, CT                       Gregor Lietzau                        K/WR/DB          Berlin, Germany

Lietzau starts at split end and also handles kicking duties and plays at defensive back for Kent.

 

Kent head coach Todd Marble said: “Gregor is a polished athlete who came to us with some very good receiving skills that we have tried to capitalize upon. I was not aware of the standard of football until I had seen some film of games in Germany. I was very impressed with the standard over there from what I saw.”

 

Lietzau said: “The people here are very friendly and they are polite and take care of you. The teachers are very different and they try to encourage with you and give you individual attention and I like that.”

 

Kent School, CT                       Paul Mehling               LB/TE/DB         Berlin, Germany

Currently in his second year at the Kent School, Mehling plays linebacker and center and is consistently among the team’s leading tacklers.

 

Head coach Todd Marble said: “Paul is a versatile athlete who has played a number of positions for us and does a great job. He was elected captain of the team this year.”

 

Mehling said: “I’m switching positions this year so everything is new, but still I’m pretty happy with how I’ve played and I’m confident that we can win the rest of our games. We’ve got a good team, I think.”

 

Kimble Union Academy, NH    Ruben Austin Schmidt             RB/LB              Düsseldorf, Germany

In his second year at KUA, Austin Schmidt plays at fullback, lead blocking for the running game.

 

He said: “I would like to play football at college in the United States eventually, but what is also very important is that I am receiving a very good education and a great life experience.”

 

Kimble Union Academy, NH    Kasim Edebali             DE / TE             Hamburg, Germany

A dominant defensive end, Edebali marked his US debut with three sacks in a 32-point shutout of the Dexter School.

 

Head coach John Lyons said: “He has the potential with his physical size and his ability to interest some top college recruiters if he continues to mature as a player and as a person. He might emerge as either a tight end or linebacker / defensive end.

 

Kimble Union Academy, NH    Kevin Gangelhoff         WR / K             Odense, Denmark

Gangelhoff is a consistent kicker for the Wildcats in addition to lining up at receiver and outside linebacker.

                                               

Kimble Union Academy, NH    Timm Kaminski            DL/OL              Kiel, Germany

In his second year at KUA, Kaminski returned from injury and produced a sack and forced fumble that was recovered and returned for a touchdown in his team’s 42-21 win over New Hampton.

 

Kaminski said: “I love being here in New Hampshire and I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. Football is my passion and I want to play for as many years as I can.”

 

Kimble Union Academy, NH    Christoff Kurzer            LB/OL              Berlin, Germany

Kurzer’s parents traveled from Berlin to watch their son produce a dominant performance in the trenches for the Wildcats in a win over New Hampton.

 

Mercersburg Academy, PA      Curtis Feight                DL/OL              Schönefeld, Germany

Playing on both sides of the ball, Feight has been among the tackles for his school.

 

New Hampton School, NH       Long Ding                    K/P/DL/OL        Wuhan, China

Originally enrolled as a kicker, Long has seen action at defensive end and offensive guard and also handles his team’s punting duties.

 

Head coach David Perfield said: “I asked when we first spoke on the phone if he liked to tackle and I knew then that he had an opportunity to play another position for us, other than kicker. He is growing as a player and not just kicking, but doing other things for us as well.”

 

Long Ding said: “I was excited to play in my first game, but I wasn’t nervous. I just had to go out there and kick the ball, or run after the ball. Things move very fast during the game so there isn’t time to get nervous or think about things like that.”

 

 

About USA Football

USA Football is a non-profit organization leading the development of youth, high school, and international amateur football.  In its role as the national governing body of America’s favorite sport, USA Football provides programs and resources inspiring participation and further strengthening the quality of the game.  USA Football was endowed by the NFL and NFL Players Association in 2002.  For more information, visit www.USAFootball.com.