"Things have been great so far," Bay said in an email to The Dartmouth. "We just finished up a training camp that was held in Indiana. We practiced for a week and had two-a-days each day to prepare."
The IFAF, which has 52 member countries and five continental federations, is supported and endorsed by the NFL Youth Football Fund and the NFL Players Association, according to its website. The world championship has occurred every four years since 1999.
There is a spectrum of talent level among IFAF teams, which include current and former NFL players, according to Bay.
In 2007, the first year that the United States participated, the U.S. team triumphed over Japan, 23-20, in double overtime to secure the title. The team is led by head coach Mel Tjeerdsma, the former Northwest Missouri State University head coach.
"As a sport that Americans created and as defending champions, this year's team has a focus," Bay said.
In his senior season, Bay led the Ivy League in forced fumbles and sacks, and was sixth and seventh in the FCS national rankings on a per-game basis. The defensive end topped the league in tackles for loss per game and was selected to the New England FCS All-Star Team.
During his career, Bay registered 123 tackles, 11 sacks and 23 tackles for loss in 35 career games playing for the Big Green.
The tournament will end on July 16, but Bay said he would be interested in playing for a national team again.
While at Dartmouth, the recent graduate majored in medical anthropology and completed his pre-medical requirements, but decided to continue to pursue football and put his career temporarily on hold.
"I decided to put off taking the MCAT until I feel like I'm done with football," Bay said. "As of now, I plan to dedicate a year or two to professional football before I begin focusing back on my aspirations for a career in medicine."
No other Ivy League players are on the national roster, but the team features a variety of recent college graduates, ranging from Kansas State University to Georgetown University alumni. The competition is similar to the college level since NCAA rules are followed, but there are some key differences, according to Bay.
"Teams don't receive film on their opponent until the day before the game," Bay said. "So you essentially have one practice to install and learn or decide the necessary tactics to use for any specific team."
The U.S. will take on Australia on Friday, Germany on Sunday, July 10 and Mexico on Tuesday, July 12. The final for the World Champion title will be played at Tivoli Stadium in Innsbruck, Austria on July 16.
The IFAF, which is seeking acknowledgement from the International Olympic Committee, lists one of its main objectives as gaining recognition by the international sports community. The organization became an official member of the General Association of International Sports Federations in 2005.
"Not many football players, neither NFL, college or abroad, can say that they were able to represent their country and play for a gold medal," Bay said.
Highlights and video of the games will be streamed from Austria on IFAF.org.
