U.S. Under-14 “Stripes” and “Stars” coaches look forward to teaching, inspiring talented roster of young players

U.S. Under-14 “Stripes” and “Stars” coaches look forward to teaching, inspiring talented roster of young players

By Steve Alic | Posted 12/5/2016

U.S. Under-14 “Stripes” head coach Scott Taylor, an elementary school teacher and high school football coach, is grateful for a lifetime of experiences and friendships gained through the sport. The Massachusetts educator, who played nearly a half-dozen sports as a youth, is inspired to pay it forward by coaching kids today.

Taylor will prepare his players to compete against the U.S. Under-14 “Stars” team at International Bowl VIII on Jan. 16 at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium, one of the event’s eight games to be played in the world-class venue from Jan. 16-17.

“In retrospect, in looking back on my athletic career, my football coaches made the greatest difference in my life,” said Taylor, who coaches at South Hadley (Mass.) High School and teaches at East Meadow Elementary in Granby, Mass. “I wanted to give back what they gave me.”

Across the field from Taylor to coach the “Stars” will be Montrey Wright, who serves his alma mater Salem (N.J.) High School, counseling students as a youth development specialist and as the school’s head football coach. Wright went on to play defensive tackle at Rowan University in New Jersey and mirrors Taylor’s zest for his profession.

“I’ve always had a passion for coaching and leadership,” said Wright. “It’s a blessing to lead young men in the right direction through this beautiful sport called football and help them through this stage of their lives.”

Taylor and Wright make a difference in the lives of the students they serve through dual roles and look forward to an exciting week of teaching some of the country’s top young players in Texas.

“The kids are the reason why we coach,” said Taylor, a school teacher since 1994 with 18 years of football coaching experience. “They want to learn and we modify our system to what they do best.”

“This is about learning, having fun and competing,” added Wright. “Everything around the International Bowl is big – playing in AT&T Stadium will be a special thrill. As a staff, we want to give our team as many great memories as possible.

“It is a blessing and an honor to represent the United States and to do so through football is great.”

2017 U.S. Under-14 Stars roster:

Team	Name	Pos.	Hometown
Stars	Cross Allen	WR	Chesapeake, Va.
Stars	Solomon Arrington II	OL	Altus, Okla.
Stars	Mark Benjamin	DB	Houston, Texas
Stars	Matteus Bugg	WR	Gilbert, Ariz.
Stars	Brett Carlson	OL	Bradford, Mass.
Stars	Makai Bleu Coleman	DB	Charlotte, N.C.
Stars	Ethan Cook	DL	Frankfort, Ind.
Stars	Christian Cummings	OL	The Colony, Texas
Stars	Brody Darragh	DB	Boulder, Colo.
Stars	Cameron Davis	QB	Crossett, Ark.
Stars	Dallas Downey	DL	Osage Beach, Mo.
Stars	Gunner Flanagan	DB	Borden, Ind.
Stars	Zachary Harrison	QB	Cottonwood, Ariz.
Stars	Jonathan Hollingsworth	DL	Fayetteville, Ark.
Stars	Dawson Hubbard	DL	Peoria, Ill.
Stars	Quillan Jimenez	LB	Chattanooga, Tenn.
Stars	Evan Johnson	DB	Jessup, Md.
Stars	Bryson Lamb	DL	Bellingham, Wa
Stars	Ken Marchiol	QB	Centennial, Colo.
Stars	Michael Masunas	TE	Tucson, Ariz.
Stars	Noah Mccant	WR	Mckinney, Texas
Stars	Clemon Mccullough	RB	Bartlett, Ill.
Stars	Ellie Nickelson	RB	Charlotte, N.C.
Stars	Jai Patel	K	Monmouth Junction, N.J.
Stars	Jordan Pendleton	DL	Cordova, Tenn.
Stars	Peter Popowich	WR	Verona, N.J.
Stars	Chad Price Jr	OL	Fredericksburg, Va.
Stars	John Rawlings	OL	Valrico, Fla.
Stars	Tyson Rutledge	LB	Tarpon Springs, Fla.
Stars	De'Juan Samuels	DL	Englewood, N.J.
Stars	Joshua Schulhofer	OL	Ofallon, Ill.
Stars	William Simpkins	DB	Gaithersburg, Md.
Stars	Kendrick Sneed Jr	LB	Memphis, Tenn.
Stars	Braden Spurling	LB	Bethany, Mo.
Stars	Joe Strickland	DL	Indianapolis, Ind.
Stars	Vincent Strimel	OL	Westminster, Colo.
Stars	Brock Swanson	LB	Kasson, Minn.
Stars	Xavier Townsend	DB	Tampa, Fla.
Stars	Daniel Trovato	WR	Appleton, Wis.
Stars	David Tunis	Ath.	Plainsboro, N.J.
Stars	Samuel Turley	OL	Lexington, Ky.
Stars	Kaden Watts	RB	Fayetteville, Ark.
Stars	Will Webster	LB	Carmel, Ind.
Stars	Brigg White	DL	Macon, Ga.
Stars	Kyle Wilson	WR	Seattle, Wash.
Stars	Caleb Winebrenner	DB	Louisville, Ky.
Stars	George Zakrzewski	DB	Spring Hill, Tenn.

2017 U.S. Under-14 Stripes roster:

Team	Name	Pos.	Hometown
Stripes	Cameron Attard	RB	Stafford, Va.
Stripes	Ike Baker	WR	Mitchell, Ind.
Stripes	Bryce Barnes	DB	Abingdon, Md.
Stripes	Daniel Berry	OL	Carol Stream, Ill.
Stripes	Hunter Boulais	OL	Knob Noster, Mo.
Stripes	Daniel Brewton	DB	Old Bridge, N.J.
Stripes	Brandon Bush	LB	Farmingdale, N.Y.
Stripes	Peter Delaportas	QB	Oak Ridge, N.J.
Stripes	Caden Dowlen	LB	Nicholasville, Ky.
Stripes	Gianpaolo Dulac	OL	North Chelmsford, Mass.
Stripes	Justin Eisele	DL	Lake Hopatcong, N.J.
Stripes	Chase Faber	LB	Indianola, Okla.
Stripes	Samuel Francis, Jr	Ath.	Greensboro, N.C.
Stripes	Jonathan Grote	K	Powder Springs, Ga.
Stripes	Andrew Hart	LB	Jamaica, N.Y.
Stripes	Gunnar Hensley	WR	Carlsbad, Calif.
Stripes	Cooper Hidalgo	LB	Berthoud, Colo.
Stripes	Malyk Jones	LB	Homewood, Ill.
Stripes	George Kalos	RB	Cornelius, N.C.
Stripes	Luke Keefer	RB	Sachse, Texas
Stripes	Dylan Leach	DB	Chino, Calif.
Stripes	Colin Leblanc	OL	Leominster, Mass.
Stripes	Jaylen Lee	DB	Fountain, Colo.
Stripes	Lemasani Lokeni	DL	Edmonds, Wash.
Stripes	Lake Lyon	QB	Cherokee, Okla.
Stripes	Zach Mason	WR	Highland Village, Texas
Stripes	Eoin May	DL	Berryville, Ark.
Stripes	Bobby Mcclosky	DB	East Stroudsburg, Pa.
Stripes	Keveion Mccroey	DB	Rock Hill, S.C.
Stripes	Matthew Mcgill	DL	Aberdeen, Md.
Stripes	Dante Mcglothlin	DL	Spring Grove, Ill.
Stripes	Dereck J Ocasio	TEs	Watauga, Texas
Stripes	Tony Osland	DB	Lino Lakes, Minn.
Stripes	Joey Pallotta	OL	Leominster, Mass.
Stripes	Gavin Portillo	DL	Sachse, Texas
Stripes	Efaz Rahman	DL	Dix Hills, N.Y.
Stripes	Anthony Ramos-Cruz	TE	Olney, Md.
Stripes	Michael Reemts	OL	Celina, Texas
Stripes	Jacob Rider	WR	Pinon Hills, Calif.
Stripes	Darris Schuett	WR	New Glarus, Wis.
Stripes	Hunter Smith	TE	Hughson, Calif.
Stripes	Lorenzo Smith	DL	Bolingbrook, Ill.
Stripes	Nicholas Thompson	DL	Lowell, Ark.
Stripes	Cade Virgin	OL	Newburgh, Ind.
Stripes	Kody Walsh	DB	Columbus, Ind.
Stripes	Tru Willford	DB	Mckinney, Texas
Stripes	Peter Zamora	QB	Coral Springs, Fla.

Click here for more information on International Bowl VIII at AT&T Stadium.

TagsAthlete High School Tackle football National Team International Bowl

U.S. Under-14 “Stripes” and “Stars” coaches look forward to teaching, inspiring talented roster of young players

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