Brasil Onças Organize Training Camp for IFAF World Championships

Brazilian national team will wave the flag first time in USA. Photo EWC

The Brazilian Confederation of American Football (CBFA) announced on Monday, March 23rd, the list of 65 athletes invited to the first training camp of the Brazilian national American Football team.

The trainings will be held between April 18th and 20th, in the town of Irati, in the State of Paraná. The activities take place on the campus of the State University of Central-West of Paraná, also know as Unicentro.

This time will be used by the technical committee to analyze the players and compose the final roster. The top 45 will be part of the Brazilian delegation at the IFAF World Championship, in Canton, USA, in July.

Brazil is unbeatable since 2012, when they defeated Chile. Photo EWC

Brazil is unbeatable since 2012, when they defeated Chile. Photo EWC

Besides the players participating in the training camp, Brazilians who play overseas in semi-professional or amateur leagues are also be invited to try-out for the final roster.

Among active players currently in Brazil, the state of Rio de Janeiro is the leading provider of athletes for the Brazilian national team, with 17 in total, followed by Paraná, with 12, Paraíba has 10, Santa Catarina with 9 and São Paulo with 8. The states of Mato Grosso, Pernambuco, Federal District, Ceará and Espírito Santo are also represented in the training camp group.

This is expectation of Guto Sousa, President of CBFA.

“This first period of preparation will be key to the coaching staff to analyze the current level of the athletes and make their first observations. The World Cup will be the most important moment in the history of all the CBFA and will spare no effort to provide athletes the best training conditions that are within our reach.”

A Recent History

The Brasil Onças (Brazil Jaguars in English) had their first appearance in 2007. Since the their loss in a knockout game in the IFAF Americas, the team has played five friendlies (twice with Uruguay, once against Chile, Rio de Janeiro State Team and Northeast Region Team), but has never participated in a major international event. Their spot in the 2015 IFAF World Championships was guaranteed through a qualifying match against Panama in Panama City on January 31st this year, when Brazil won 26-14.

You can find the preliminary training camp roster for the Brazilian squad below. Each player’s name is followed by the club team with which the player is associated with.

Quarterbacks

Ramon Martire – Botafogo Reptiles
Rodrigo Dantas – João Pessoa Espectros
Romário Reis – Ceará Caçadores

Running backs

Lucas Nascimento – Coritiba Crocodiles
Aluan Souza – Botafogo Reptiles
Bruno Santucci – Coritiba Crocodiles
Rômulo Ramos – Vasco da Gama Patriotas
Mateus Bessa – São Paulo Storm
Everton Antero – João Pessoa Espectros

Tight Ends

Felipe Leiria – Flamengo
Luiz Domingues – São Paulo Storm
Breno Takahashi – Timbó Rex

Offensive linemen

Anselmo Brauer – Flamengo
Rafael Menezes – Botafogo Reptiles
Dhyego Taylor – Lusa Lions
Hátila Fogo – Cuiabá Arsenal
Júnior Kruger – Jaraguá Breakers
William Alberton – São José Istepôs
Henrique Pucca – Coritiba Crocodiles
Marcos Martiny – Flamengo
Rufo Neto – João Pessoa Espectros
Lenin Caldeira – João Pessoa Espectros

Wide receivers

Heron Azevedo – Cuiabá Arsenal
Rodrigo Pons – Flamengo
Felipe Fernandes – Vasco da Gama Patriotas
Adan Rodriguez – Coritiba Crocodiles
Guilherme Piccoli – Flamengo
Guilhermo Gulin – Paraná HP
Loan Felisardo – Botafogo Reptiles
Victor Hugo – Corinthians Steamrollers

Defensive linemen

Vinícius Zanon – São José Istepôs
Delmer Zoschke – Coritiba Crocodiles
Felipe Marques – Tubarões do Cerrado
Edilson Azevedo – Flamengo
Marcus Hércules – João Pessoa Espectros
Denis Barros – Flamengo
Joe Roger – Coritiba Crocodiles
Bruno da Silva – São Paulo Storm
Thiago Passos – Recife Mariners
Elio Jacob – Foz do Iguaçu Black Sharks
Reinaldo Machado – Paraná HP
Donaldo Tukura – Cuiabá Arsenal

Linebackers

Igor Mota – Cuiabá Arsenal
Gérson Santos – São José Istepôs
Igor Nery – João Pessoa Espectros
Laercio Anacleto – Timbó Rex
Eduardo Viana – Paraná HP
Yuri Mohr – Jaraguá Breakers
Pablo Chalfun – Vasco da Gama Patriotas
Victor Garcia – São Paulo Storm
Pablo Magalhães – João Pessoa Espectros
Lincoln da Silva – Lusa Lions

Safeties

Cleverson Freitas – Coritiba Crocodiles
Fernando Giovannoti – Vila Velha Tritões
Rodolfo Santos – Jaraguá Breakers
Paulo Torquato – São José Istepôs
Henrique Rocha – Coritiba Crocodiles
Junior Borges – Recife Mariners

Cornerbacks

Filipe Sodré – Vasco da Gama Patriotas
Flavio Gouveia – João Pessoa Espectros
Vitor Veloso – João Pessoa Espectros
Bruno Rosa – Flamengo
Raphael da Cruz – Corinthians Steamrollers

Kickers/Punters

Raiam dos Santos – Flamengo
Diego Aranha – João Pessoa Espectros

Journalist at Futebol Americano Brasil and American Football International. Post graduated in Digital Journalism at Famecos/PUCRS. Former multimedia producer of Locast Project MIT/USA. Former player of Porto Alegre Pumpkins.