PALMETTO RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR P.J. GIBBS TO LEAD U.S. UNDER-17 SELECT TEAM AT INTERNATIONAL BOWL X AT COWBOYS AT&T STADIUM
INDIANAPOLIS – PJ Gibbs, the defensive coordinator of Palmetto Ridge High School in Naples, Fla., will lead the 2019 United States Under-17 Select Team against Team Ontario (Canada) at 2 p.m. EST/1 p.m. CST on Jan. 11, 2019, during the 10th annual International Bowl Series at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Gibbs is in his first year as the defensive coordinator at Palmetto Ridge. This year marks the fourth time in as many years, and second time as a head coach, that Gibbs is coaching in the U.S. National Team program. Before coaching the Bears, Gibbs was the co-defensive coordinator at Naples (Fla.) Gulf Coast High School after coaching 14 years in New Jersey. Gibbs also serves as a USA Football Master Trainer for the U.S. Olympic Committee member’s nationally endorsed Heads Up Football program.
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 Gibbs back to lead our student-athletes at International Bowl X,” said AARON INGRAM, senior manager of U.S. National Teams for USA Football. “PJ is an exceptional teacher and motivator. He will have our team ready to compete and proudly represent our country against a physical and well-coached Team Ontario squad.”
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.