Brownsburg Austin Cope, Brownsburg, is the type of athlete every coach loves.

He works hard and is attentive, and his enthusiasm tends to make every other player around him better.

Those characteristics, even more so than his athletic prowess, landed him a spot to represent the United States next month in a national football tournament in Austria.

The 11-year-old will compete in the People to People Sports Ambassador Program July 4-13. Austin will be among 21 Central Indiana children representing the United States in various sports including baseball, basketball, bowling, soccer, softball and wrestling.

But the games, started in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, are less about sports than demonstrating citizenship and leadership and learning about diverse cultures. The participants must be nominated by a teacher, coach or alum and then go through an interview process.