Chris Payne, Columbia High standout and USC Gamecock, has been selected to play for USA Football's 2009 Junior National Team, which will compete in the sport's first junior world championship this summer. The 5'10", 173 pound safety is one of 36 graduating high school seniors soon to enter one of 27 college football programs, who will play on America's first national team in the sport comprised of players aged 19 and under. USA Football's Junior National Team roster will ultimately consist of 45 student- athletes.

USA Football, an independent non- profit and the sport's national governing body on youth and amateur levels, has built America's first Junior National Team in the sport to compete in the eight- nation, four- continent 2009 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Junior World Championship in Canton, Ohio, from June 27- July 5. National football teams from Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, and Sweden have qualified to join the United States to pursue the sport's first world championship on the international junior level.