Several area families received special visitors from Germany this past week.
As part of the NFL Global Junior Championship X, many Clarkston families, whose children attend Notre Dame Prep School in Pontiac, host members of an all-star football team from Germany. The tournament is a an official event of Super Bowl XL in Detroit
‘We’re excited (to have them). Both our kids take German and are into sports,? said Clarkston resident Laureen Smith.
Smith and her husband Mike and their two children Brittany, 17 and Geoffrey 15, host two players.
‘I think it’s exciting that they’re coming. It’s a new experience. I speak German and I’ll learn about culture and show them how Americans live,? said Smith’s son Geoffrey, who is a 15-year-old sophomore at Notre Dame Prep.
The football players arrived at Notre Dame around 4 p.m. on Jan. 22 where they met the families they will live with for the next nine days or so.
‘It’s great and amazing. I’ve never been in the United States before. It’s wonderful,? said Mathis Baumbach, who along with Dominik Szwilski is staying with the Smiths during the tournament.
‘I hope we win, but it’s hard because (Germany’s) not a football country like the United States. We have a good team though,? said Baumbach, who is listed as a 6?3,? 194-pound wide receiver.
‘It’s such a great opportunity (for our students) to meet kids from another culture,? said Patty Kutil of Notre Dame Prep. ?(They’ll) learn how they are different and how they are the same.?
According to Kutil, 28 families volunteered to host the 36 player roster from Germany.
The tournament taking place at the Pontiac Silverdome consists of all-star teams of approximately 180 players ages 19 and under from Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico and the United States. The first round of the tournament is on Jan. 25 and is in jamboree format. Games are split into seven-minute halves with no overtime.
The championship and medal games are set for Jan. 29. Games in the medal round are split into two 12-minute halves with the NCAA’s overtime format, except teams must attempt two-point conversions. The championship has four 12-minute quarters with NCAA overtime format.
As stated on Global Football’s Web site, the United States team is made up of the Greater Toledo High School Academic All-Stars. The players are seniors nominated by their coach if they earned a 3.0 GPA or better their junior year.
When asked what he knew about the Detroit Lions, Baumbach seemed to relate to his receiving brethren.
‘I know they have some good receivers like Mike Williams who I watched on TV play at USC?(The Lions) lose often, that’s known in Germany, but some day they might be a good team if they get a good quarterback.?
The first Global Junior Championship was played at Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans in 1997.
Tickets are $5 per day and 100 percent of the sales benefit the host high schools. Tickets are available at host high schools: Andover High School, Lahser High School, Notre Dame Prep and Seaholm High School. For more event info call 248-975-6515 or visit www.NFLHS.com.