It is rare for middle school and high school athletes to represent the United States on an athletic field.

But that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is now available to football players across the country in grades 6-11 through USA Football’s Regional Development Camps.

Registration is now open for these two-day events, hosted by USA Football’s National Team program, that offer athletes the chance to receive recruiting exposure, train with current NCAA coaches and try out for the U.S. National Team. There will be 24 RDCs in major cities across the country between February and June.

Athletes who previously attended the camp have said they benefited most from the chance to work with college coaches on position-specific drills while gaining recruiting exposure.

“It was really exciting to meet and be instructed by top high school coaches from different parts of the world, former NFL players and college coaches,” said Jared Mayden, a high school cornerback from Sachse, Texas with offers from Baylor, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Oregon among others. “I was able to learn a lot of next level drills that I was able to use back home in my season.”

“Not only do you get exposure to the college coaches, but you are coached by some of the best in the country, so it really doesn't get much better than that,” said Vinny Papale, a wide receiver at Bishop Eustace Prep near Philadelphia, who will play for the U.S. Under-19 National Team at the International Bowl in Arlington, Texas at the end of January.

“Having college coaches help and attend the camps I think is one of the best parts and has helped many kids, including me, have their recruiting increased. 

Aaron Ingram, an offensive assistant at the University of Nevada, judged offensive players on eight criteria as a scout at a 2014 camp for the U.S. National Team, along with former NFL players and other college and high school coaches from the University of Texas, UCLA, Notre Dame and more.

“It was pretty awesome to be able to sit there and get to know these kids from all different states,” said Coach Ingram, who will coach the backfield for the 2015 Under-18 National Team at the International Bowl. “Kids come in and get looked at and get better, all under the USA name. There is nothing like getting to represent their country at a young age in the greatest team sport there is.”

The high level of competition at RDCs is a useful barometer for players looking to see how they stack up, and serves as a motivational tool.

“We pushed each other to be better,” said Papale. “They showed me the skills I needed to obtain in order to reach my full potential and motivated me to become the best football player I possibly can to reach my goal. I learned a lot about myself by attending the RDC because I saw how I stacked up against other kids from all around and realized that I can compete with anyone.” 

“You get a wide variety of talent,” said Ephraim Banda, a graduate assistant coach at the University of Texas who has worked an RDC in Houston and the National Development Games in College Station, Texas. “Seeing them progress throughout the camp, exposing them to other athletes and different styles of coaching, it’s a great opportunity for average players to get good, good players to get great, and great players to be around high quality coaching to give them a taste of what it’ll be like at next level.”

Coaches also have a lot to gain from working RDCs.

“It opens my eyes any time I can watch someone else coach,” said Ingram. “If you can take away one thing that can help you get better, it was worth your time. There isn’t a set way to coach football. There are so many different techniques and ways to run an offense or defense.”

For Banda, it was a chance to prove to himself what he could do at the next level.

“I do a lot of hands-on work as a GA, but this allowed me to have my own work,” said Banda. “It was the most valuable experience I’ve had in the last three years as a coach. It gave me a lot of confidence.”

Despite the competitive nature of the camp, some players eventually become teammates for the U.S. National Team and many have formed lasting friendships.

“The kids really bond and come together to create a great college-like atmosphere,” said Banda.

The athletes who are selected to attend the National Development Games meet up again in the summer and work together for an entire week. They enter the games as strangers, acquaintances or even rivals and leave as teammates.

“I've made real friendships with the guys I've met from across the country in the program,” said Jalen Mayden, a freshman quarterback from Sachse, Texas.

Jalen, who first attended an RDC while he was still in middle school, said he not only has made lasting friendships at the camps, but he has recruited some of his hometown friends to come out as well.

“Several made it to the summer games and some of us were also selected to compete in the International Bowl,” Jalen Mayden said. “I told them that the opportunity to compete as one of the nation’s best and represent the USA is a feeling you can't describe. I showed them how they could use the camp to help in their college recruiting … and I learned a lot about myself.”