As the college football season kicks off across the United States, Global Football

representatives are currently in Ireland, finalizing preparations for GIFT 2012 -- the

Global Ireland Football Tournament -- that includes St Norbert College opening their

2012 season in Dublin.

A total of 12 high school and college teams will travel to Ireland to play in six games

on Friday, August 31, in three doubleheader matches staged in three different

stadiums during the same weekend as the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish and

the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen meet at the Aviva Stadium.

St. Norbert is one of two colleges participating in GIFT 2012 and will face John Carroll

University in the historic event. John Carroll University head coach Regis Scafe has

posted ten consecutive seasons at .500 or better for the Blue Streaks. In going 71-35

over those ten seasons, Scafe has helped John Carroll to extend its current run of

consecutive non-losing campaigns to a school record 22 years.

Global Football has been the world's primary exporter and producer of American

football played overseas since 1996, and never before has such a large number of

U.S. teams traveled and played in one country, on one day. Being linked to the

Fighting Irish and Midshipmen weekend makes this even more special for the players,

coaches and followers who are eagerly preparing for this exciting historic week.

Venues and kickoff times for all games will be announced during the fall football

season.

"This will be a wonderful educational opportunity for our student-athletes, and I am

appreciative of our administration for supporting this endeavor," said head coach Jim

Purtill. "This experience will be great for those who might not normally get a chance

to travel abroad in not only an athletic setting, but an educational one as well."

St Norbert opens the 2011 college football season at the University of St Thomas at

1pm on Saturday, September 3.

For information about the Global Ireland Football Tournament 2012 please e-mail

Patrick@GlobalFootball.com. All team and fan travel for GIFT is being expertly handled

by Anthony Travel, who also manages all team and fan travel for the Notre Dame and

Navy. Contact Sheldon Baxter, sheldonbaxter@anthonytravel.com for details.