Welcome To Beijing

Miami’s NFL Flag Football world champion team from the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center has arrived in Beijing, China and is preparing to defend its title this week against teams from nine other nations.

The 12 to 14-year-olds are enjoying the trip of a lifetime and having spent a few days sightseeing in Shanghai, are now in the Chinese capital ahead of the sixth annual NFL Flag Football World Championship. The tournament brings together the best teams from three continents and is the highlight of the NFL International grassroots activities.

Wide receiver Alex Ciklik, the only player returning from the USA team that won the championship in Vancouver last year, is eager to get down to business. “Where is the field, what does the surface look like?” he asked in the lobby of the team’s hotel in the heart of Beijing.

Head coach David Fried added: “They are all very excited, but this visit is not just about playing flag football. The NFL has provided a wonderful opportunity for us to see a part of the world that is culturally very different from what we’re used to. We’re having an incredible time off the field and soon we’ll be ready to play.”

The US faces teams from Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain and Thailand in defense of its world crown. The action kicks off on Thursday and for three days the teams will battle the intense summer humidity as well as each other.

“It’s incredibly hot and humid,” said quarterback Andrew Brodsky. “It’s even more stifling than we’re used to in Miami and that’s saying something.”

The ten teams will discover their opponents on Wednesday night when drawn into two groups of five to play a round robin on Thursday and Friday to determine which four teams will advance to the semi finals. Last year USA defeated Japan in the final four and went on to triumph over Mexico in the championship game. Canada took home the bronze medal.

Also settled into the Beijing hotel are the Gymnasium Meerbusch Eagles from Germany and last year’s beaten finalist Las Aguilas of Mexico, who were the first teams to arrive in China. “It is nice to see some of the same faces back from last year,” added coach Fried. “We made some good friends and this tournament is all about meeting people from different cultures and overcoming language barriers to have a great time together.”