USA retain key players for IRB Sevens March 09, 2010
The USA assembled at the weekend in preparation for its next two IRB Sevens World Series events in Adelaide, Australia and Hong Kong.
Coach Al Caravelli has bought in 19 players to the U.S. Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Chula Vista in an effort to prepare and select the squad whilst introducing new players into his set-up.
Caravelli has been able to retain many of his core players from previous tournaments in Wellington and Las Vegas with Mark Bokhoven also returning to the squad from injury.
The complete squad will train at the OTC until March 13, when Caravelli will name the touring side and arrange for their departure for Australia.
“At the start of the season one of our goals was to not have more than 21 different players play in all eight tournaments, Caravelli explained”
“We want to keep the core group together. I’m happy that nine of the players from Las Vegas will be back competing
for their spots. Mark Bokhoven also returns from a recent injury. In addition, there will be two new players at the assembly.
They are NFL converts who were spotted at the Las Vegas Invitational.” Caravelli’s team will train in Adelaide for two days prior to the event, with scrimmages planned against South Africa, New Zealand and Kenya scheduled for that Tuesday and Wednesday.
They have been placed in Pool D for the Adelaide leg facing hosts Australia, England, and Nieu in the group stages.
Following the IRB Australia Sevens World Series stop in Adelaide, the USA will join 23 other nations in the biggest field of competition on the Series in Hong Kong. The Eagles tackle Potugal, Fiji, and Thailand in Pool C.
“Hong Kong is the grand daddy of all Sevens tournaments,” Caravelli added.
“Every tournament has a uniqueness, from the deserts in Dubai to the wonderful costumes in Wellington and the lights of Las Vegas. But, nothing can compare to the history, tradition and the special atmosphere that Hong Kong offers.
This is the closest these athletes will be to a Super Bowl type setting.” USA Sevens Training Squad Barnard, Brian (OMBAC), Barnard, Marco (Kutztown University), Bokhoven, Mark (Gentlemen of Aspen) Edwards, Nick (NYAC), Efthimiou, Dimitri (Mystic River), Emerick, Paul (Parma), Enosa, Tai (Belmont Shore) Hawkins, Matt (Belmont Shore), Malifa, Valenese (Belmont Shore), Pangelinan, Zach (OMBAC), Peters, Leonard (Gentlemen of Aspen), Richards, Trevor (University of Nebraska), Saunders, Tommy (KC Blues), Sio, Peter (Belmont Shore), Suniula, Shalom (Pearl City), Swiryn, Kevin (Old Puget Sound Beach), Temple, Tony (KC Blues) Test, Zach (Loughborough), Vaka, Malakai (Reno Zephyrs).
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