FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                              Contact: Adina Ellis/212-450-2030
NFL- 156               12/22/04                                                              adina.ellis@nfl.com                                                                                                                                 

WILLIAM McGREGOR II OF MARYLAND’S DE MATHA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL NAMED 2004 NFL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR

Nominated by Eagles WR Brian Westbrook

WILLIAM McGREGOR II, head coach at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, MD, is the 2004 NFL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR, the NFL announced today.

McGregor, head football coach at DeMatha High School for the past 23 years, was nominated by one of his former players – Philadelphia Eagles running back BRIAN WESTBROOK.

As the 2004 NFL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR, McGregor and a guest will be invited to attend Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville in February as the NFL’s guest.  McGregor  will also receive a check for $5,000 as part of the NFL High School Football Coach of the Year Award.  A $10,000 grant will go to the football program at DeMatha High School.

“Bill was and continues to be an inspiration and source of support to me,” Westbrook said.

“My philosophy when it comes to coaching is to instill positive qualities in my players that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives no matter what situation they encounter or occupation they choose to pursue,” said McGregor. “I firmly believe that by emphasizing the importance of always having a positive attitude that mountains can be moved and situations altered.”

McGregor has won such honors as Washington Post Coach of the Year in 2003, WCAC Coach of the Year 12 times, and his team has been ranked nationally by USA Today eight times. More importantly to McGregor, 275 of his student-athletes have attended college on full-football scholarships during his coaching career. 

The NFL High School Football Coach of the Year Award was initiated in 1995 by NFL Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE and the NFL clubs to honor coaches who profoundly affected the athletic and personal development of NFL players.  The program is a part of the NFL and NFL Players Association’s $150 million Youth Football Fund.

"We have more than 1,600 players on our 32 teams," said Commissioner Tagliabue, "and they all have at least one thing in common -- they all received outstanding guidance from high school coaches. These men have dedicated their lives to teaching young players how to become leaders both on and off the field. I congratulate our finalists and all high school coaches for the integral roles they play in developing the game of football and guiding the youngsters who play the game."

A blue-ribbon committee of sports leaders appointed by the NFL selects a winner each year. This year’s panel was comprised of JON BUTLER, Executive Director of Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.; TONY DEMATTEO, 2003 NFL High School Coach of the Year; SID EDWARDS, 2001 NFL High School Coach of the Year; JACK FLEISCHER, veteran sportswriter; DICK GALIETTE, Executive Director of the National High School Athletic Coaches Association; GRANT TEAFF, Executive Director of the American Football Coaches Association; and BILL WALSH, former San Francisco 49ers coach.