Teams from across the U.S. will face off in the Australian rules football nationals

"GORRILLA: Standing in front of a small group of men and women, head coach Jon Loring has a message for his Australian rules football squad. LORING: We have a really good team going into nationals, so we just got to finish it off and just get as many kicks in as possible. So we'll have two lines here, one group there, just one group there - just work on this lane."

"LORING: Loring began playing Aussie rules football in 1999, when a coach started a club in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. Since then, he's been devoted to this sport that seems impossible to describe. UNIDENTIFIED PLAYER #1: There's, like, no comparison. It's not like rugby or American football where it's, like, in lines. UNIDENTIFIED PLAYER #2: It's like a mashup of rugby, basketball, soccer and just pure chaos. But it's a massive field."

The U.S. Australian Football League holds its national championship in Tucson, Arizona, with teams nationwide competing to put the ball through the big sticks. Philadelphia's Philly Hawks practice in a city park under coach Jon Loring, who started playing Aussie rules in 1999 after a club launch in Lehigh Valley. Players describe the sport as unlike rugby or American football, combining elements of rugby, basketball, and soccer, played on a massive field. Training emphasizes kicking and teamwork as teams prepare for nationals. DJ Wirth serves as captain and midfielder for the Philly Hawks.

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