BRAZOSPORT (TEXAS) HIGH SCHOOL OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BRAD SMITHEY TO LEAD U.S. UNDER-16 SELECT TEAM AT INTERNATIONAL BOWL X AT COWBOYS AT&T STADIUM
INDIANAPOLIS – Brad Smithey, the offensive coordinator of Brazosport High School in Freeport, Texas, will lead the 2019 United States Under-16 Select Team against Mexico Norte, an Under-16 team of top players across northern Mexico, at 9:30 a.m. CST on Jan. 11, 2019, during the 10th annual International Bowl Series at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The offensive coordinator at Brazosport, Smithey first joined the USA Football family in 2015 when he played for the U.S. Men’s National Team, which earned the gold medal at the 2015 IFAF Senior World Championship in Canton, Ohio. Smithey also is a member of USA Football’s Board of Directors, which helps steer the U.S. Olympic Committee-member organization. He played college football at Southwestern Oklahoma State, twice earning All-Great American Conference honorable mention accolades.
Established in 2010, the International Bowl is the longest-running annual series of high school-aged international football teams. This year’s event – International Bowl X – will convene 16 teams from five countries across four age divisions for two gamedays of global competition. U.S. National Teams are managed by USA Football, a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the sport’s national governing body.
All International Bowl games will be webcast live on ESPN3.
“The U.S. National Team program has always benefitted from the expertise and leadership of its coaches, and we’re excited to have Coach Smithey lead our student-athletes at this year’s International Bowl,” said AARON INGRAM, senior manager of U.S. National Teams for USA Football. “With experience of playing for our national team and winning a gold medal in 2015, he will have his team ready to compete and proudly represent our country. A tremendous football strategist, Coach Smithey welcomes the challenge Mexico Norte brings, which features some of the best high school-aged players in Mexico who love this sport as much as we do.”
Former U.S. National Team head coaches include CHUCK KYLE (Cleveland St. Ignatius H.S.), CHRIS MERRITT (Miami Christopher Columbus H.S.), STEVE SPECHT (Cincinnati St. Xavier H.S.) and TOM WESTERBERG (Barbers Hill [Texas] H.S.).
U.S. National Team alumni include DT MALCOM BROWN (New England Patriots/University of Texas), LB SHAQUEM GRIFFIN (Seattle Seahawks/University of Central Florida), QB DWAYNE HASKINS (Ohio State University), RB TODD GURLEY (Los Angeles Rams/Georgia University), DB TYRANN MATHIEU (Houston Texans/LSU), RB JONATHAN TAYLOR (University of Wisconsin) and DE STEPHON TUITT (Pittsburgh Steelers/University of Notre Dame).
About USA Football: USA Football designs and delivers premier educational, developmental and competitive programs to advance and grow the sport. As the sport’s national governing body, member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and organizer of the U.S. National Team for international competition, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.