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.