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Gabe Infante of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia, PA, is the 2018 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year.

The award honors exemplary high school football coaches for their character and integrity, leadership and dedication to the community, commitment to player health and safety and on-field success.

​ “Teaching and developing football at the youth level is paramount to the future success of the game,” said Don Smolenski, Philadelphia Eagles president. “Gabe’s body of work as a football coach and his commitment to the sport, both on and off the field, is admirable.”

​Infante has been the head coach at St. Joseph’s Prep since 2010, compiling a record of 91-23 (.798 winning percentage). His teams have played for the state championships five times in nine seasons, capturing four state titles in the last six years. Last season, the Hawks finished 13-0, ranking as high as sixth nationally by USA Today, Max Preps and Football America.

“While his on-field su​ccess at St. Joseph’s Prep has made Philadelphia and the surrounding community very proud, it is his work with USA Football and charitable organizations like Simon’s Heart that truly demonstrates the reason he’s this year’s winner. On behalf of the Philadelphia football community, we would like to congratulate Gabe on being recognized as the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year,” said Smolenski.

​A two-time Don Shula High School Coach of the Year nominee, Infante is a member of USA Football's Advisory Committee and a Master Trainer in USA Football’s Heads Up program. He travels around the country conducting player safety clinics and promoting the program’s benefits to youth and high school coaches.

​​Nominees for the Don Shula Award were invited to and recognized during the NFL's week-long celebration of football at the Pro Bowl in Orlando.

The runner-up was the Carolina Panthers’ nominee, Jeff Craddock, from Tarboro High School in Tarboro, North Carolina.