Participants and their families have arrived in Canton, Ohio this week for USA Football’s U.S. National Team Middle School Bowl Game Series. Known as the “Canton Classic,” players will practice this week at Walsh University and then play in one of three games Saturday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The players attended various tryouts throughout the country and were chosen for this event based on talent and character.

It’s an event that continues to evolve and get bigger.

RELATED CONTENT: How my son was selected to play in the Middle School Bowl Games Series

Are you the parent of a youth, middle school or high school football player who’s looking for more tips or resources? Check out our Parent Guide, Parents 101 course, nutritious recipes and more.

“Each year we keep growing, which is nice in terms of not just growing in size, but growing in experience as far as what we’re delivering to the next generation of great football players in our country,” said Aaron Ingram, senior manager of the U.S. National Team program for USA Football. 

After players check in today, they will attend, along with their families, an orientation with USA Football coaches and staff before taking part in the first practice of the week this evening. Wednesday, the players will go through practice with their respective positions and then they’ll be assigned to a team. They’ll go through a live contact structured scrimmage on Thursday and then a final practice on Friday to prepare for the games.  

RELATED CONTENT: U.S. National Team Middle School Bowl Games Series extends invites to elite football players

Saturday, the players will don their USA uniforms and compete in the same stadium that hosts the NFL Hall of Fame game and enshrinement ceremony. Built on the site of the old Fawcett Stadium, the new venue was completed last summer and will now host the middle school bowl games. 

“We keep growing our experience, growing the ‘wow’ factor and the sensationalness of what it is and what it means to wear the red, white and blue,” said Ingram. “To play in Tom Benson is pretty special as well. Anybody who has ever walked through the hall … right away you get chills. The hair on the back of your neck stands up, so anytime a relationship can grow with someone like (Pro Football Hall of Fame President) David Baker and the Hall is priceless.”  

RELATED CONTENT: U.S. National Team Regionals: The Journey to International Bowl 2019

The U.S. National Team Program is getting ready to start its 10th year and is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee. A little over 60,000 athletes have been a part of the program since its inception, and there will be 51 U.S. National Team alumni at NFL training camps later this summer.  

The middle school program is just an example of how the U.S. National Team has grown over the years. 

“We’ve had some staying power as well as some growth,” said Ingram. “We travel all over. This year we did a little over 20 age regionals that are basically regional tryouts, either a one-day middle school event or if they want something a little bit longer, they can join in on the two-day high school events that we do all over the country as well.” 

The games will be the culmination of a valuable week of experience for the players.  In addition to the practices, scrimmages and the games, the kids will also be educated in “Heads Up Football,” USA Football’s comprehensive player health and safety program.  What they will learn and experience, not just in the games but during the entire event, will be about as valuable of a week as a youth football player could have.

The players will be taught by an experienced coaching staff.  

“We’re about 70 percent college coaches which is outstanding where guys come and want to help teach that next younger generation. That’s phenomenal so it’s not just high school but college guys who are really diving into our program really big.”  

Tuesday was just the start of a big week for all of these players. For some of them, it could be a once in a lifetime experience. For others, it could be the start of a progression through the U.S. National Team program. It shapes up as a great week of football for the players and their families as well as the coaches and staff.

Peter Schwartz is a sports anchor for the CBS Sports Radio Network, FOX News Headlines 24/7 and WCBS 880 Radio in New York. His son, Bradley, is playing in the Canton Classic on Saturday. Schwartz will write a blog every day this week leading up to Saturday’s Middle School Bowl Games.