Prior Lake head coach Matt Gegenheimer to coach U.S. Under-18 National Team during 2018 International Bowl Series
Savage, Minn. – MATT GEGENHEIMER, the head football coach of Prior Lake High School (Savage, Minn.), will lead the United States’ Under-18 National Team during the 2018 International Bowl Series in January. The annual week-long event is comprised of practices and games of multiple countries’ top high school-aged student-athletes (U-15, U-16, U-17, U-18 and U-19) in international football’s premier annual amateur competition. The 2018 International Bowl location and game schedule, as well as player rosters and complete coaching staffs, will be announced in the coming months. USA Football, a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, manages U.S. National Teams for international play.
Prior to kickoff at Prior Lake’s home game against Eagan High School Friday, Oct. 6, at 7:00 p.m. CST, USA Football will present Gegenheimer with a U.S. National Team helmet as its next U-18 head coach.
Gegenheimer is in his 13th season as head coach of Prior Lake High School. In 2011, Gegenheimer guided the Lakers to their first state tournament appearance in program history. Prior Lake returned to the state playoffs again in 2012 and 2014. Before taking over at Prior Lake, Gegenheimer served as defensive coordinator for a state runner-up-team at Le Center High School (Le Center, Minn.). Gegenheimer is a USA Football regional master trainer, teaching important health and safety protocols and proper on-field technique to coaches nationwide.
“It is a great honor to lead our Under-18 National team comprised of extraordinary student-athletes,” said Gegenheimer. “The U.S. National Team program continues to elevate itself year-after-year, and I look forward to continuing its rich tradition and proudly representing the United States this January.”
“The success of the U.S. National Team program is rooted in the expertise and leadership of its coaches, and Coach Gegenheimer is a proven winner in every sense of the term who will add to the rich history of this program,” said AARON INGRAM, USA Football senior manager of national teams. “Our country’s premier football-playing student-athletes will gain a great deal from playing for Matt. He will have them ready to compete and proudly represent the United States against the best high school football talent from around the world.”
U.S. National Team head coach alumni include GABE INFANTE (Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep), CHUCK KYLE (Cleveland St. Ignatius), CHRIS MERRITT (Miami Christopher Columbus), JASON MOHNS (Scottsdale [Ariz.] Saguaro) KENNY SANCHEZ (Las Vegas Bishop Gorman), STEVE SPECHT (Cincinnati St. Xavier) and TOM WESTERBERG (Barbers Hill [Texas]).
U.S. National Team alumni include WR RODNEY ADAMS (Minnesota Vikings), WR COREY COLEMAN (Cleveland Browns), LB BEN GEDEON (Minnesota Vikings), RB TODD GURLEY (Los Angeles Rams), DB TYRANN MATHIEU (Arizona Cardinals), OL JACK MEWHORT (Indianapolis Colts), RB SAMAJE PERINE (Washington Redskins), DE STEPHON TUITT (Pittsburgh Steelers) and QB JAMEIS WINSTON (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
About USA Football: USA Football evolves and grows the sport through innovative standards and best practices to advance coach and player development, participation and safety within the fun of the game and its inherent values. As the sport’s national governing body and member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.