Letter from the President | July 2013

This August the USA Revolution and USA Freedom travel to Edmonton, Canada for the 2013 49th Parallel Cup to defend victories from 2012. Over the past year, both programs have been busy preparing not only for the upcoming games, but looking towards the 2014 International Cup in Melbourne. As a member of the Revolution since 2007, I am very excited about the direction of the program under Coach Matt Bishop. During this time, I have also seen the Freedom grow, and at a recent camp, the team had 75 attending players! Needless to say, both Matt Bishop and Freedom Coach Leigh Barnes invest great time and effort into the National Teams.

Both teams will take a senior club and a developmental squad for the 49th Parallel Cup. While the Freedom have a full two squads, the Revolution are still looking for young interested players under the age of 25 to participate in the developmental team. If interested, please contact Matt Bishop at matt.bishop@usafl.com.

The Revolution and Freedom are both important programs to the USAFL and the AFL. They provide a pathway for elite talent development, the chance to represent your country, and also showcase the very best of the USAFL. The last item is especially important to the AFL Executives who attend the International Cup. The product on the field is a visual reminder of the AFL's investment in foreign countries.

Both programs receive support from the USAFL, however, the majority (99% of expenses) are incurred by players themselves. As the teams prepare for the 2014 International Cup, the league is looking for major sponsors for both teams. This is a great opportunity for organizations to support a national team and receive both national and global exposure. Now is the time to ask your company or network if they are interested in sponsoring the USAFL National Teams! What a great opportunity!

As a reminder, the USAFL is a non-profit 501(c) organization meaning any donations to the league are tax-deductible. If anyone is interested, please forward on a copy of the USAFL Sponsorship packet to interested parties. Questions can be directed to myself at andy.vanica@usafl.com.

We look forward to the results of the Revolution and Freedom and wish them good luck! As always, thank you to your commitment in growing Australian football in the US. I welcome feedback, questions, or thoughts, shoot me an email at president@usafl.com.

Andy Vanica, President
UNITED STATES AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE