Kaua‘i native Shawn Aguano, currently coaching at Chandler High School, has been named quarterback coach under head coach Steve Belles of Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz., for the inaugural Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl. The bowl is scheduled Jan. 3
Kaua‘i native Shawn Aguano, currently coaching at Chandler High School, has been named quarterback coach under head coach Steve Belles of Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz., for the inaugural Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl. The bowl is scheduled Jan. 3 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Aguano, whose brother Corey is head coach at Kaua‘i High School’s program, joins 18 top high school coaches in the country selected to serve as the official coaching staff for the East vs. West face-off.
Presented by JuniorRank Sports and the Marine Corps, the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl will feature 100 of the country’s top high school football players who sponsors say embody the Marine Corps values of honor, courage and commitment.
Coaches from coast to coast were scouted for the honor of being on the coaching staff. The final 18 selections were based on their volunteered time, expertise and commitment to the inaugural bowl.
“By lending our motto Semper Fidelis (always loyal) to this bowl game, we are showing our commitment to developing well-rounded individuals,” said Marine Brig. Gen. Joseph Osterman, commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command.
“This game will feature some of the most talented athletes in the country, but each has been selected not only for his athletic prowess, but also his academic performance and the strength of his character,” Osterman said.
Belles has been the head coach at Arizona’s Hamilton High School since 2006, leading his teams to four state championships, one semifinal appearance and regional champions for all five seasons.
Belles’ honors include Arizona 5A Coach of the Year and 24-7football.com Coach of the Year. He was a member of Notre Dame’s last national championship team in 1988 and went on to play professionally in Europe for the Revenna Chiefs, returning to play with the Arizona Rattlers in the Arena Football League before becoming a high school coach.
Biff Poggi of Gilman School in Baltimore, Md., will lead the East team. Poggi has been coaching at Gilman for 29 season, the last 15 as head coach producing nine MIAA “A” conference titles and two championships. His squads have been ranked nationally for nine seasons, including a No. 1 for East, and No. 12 and No. 14 ranking in the USA Today Final Rankings.
His awards include Coaching Alliance Positive Coach of the Year. He co-developed the national coaching movement Building Men for Others, the inspiration for the New York Times bestseller “Season of Life.” Poggi is an alumni of Gilman.
The Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl will air on CBS’s sports network at 4 p.m., MST, from Phoenix.
On Jan. 2, leading up to the inaugural bowl game, CBS Sports will air The Proving Ground Football Combine starting at 1 p.m., MST. This will allow viewers an opportunity to watch 400 of the country’s best high school football stars participate in skills competitions.
