MADISONVILLE -- Chris Whaley of Madisonville High School, Madisonville, TX, has been selected to play in the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, the nation’s premier high school football all-star football game. Whaley will join an elite group of student-athletes selected to play in the ninth annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday, January 3, 2009 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. This classic East vs. West match-up will be televised live on NBC at 1:00 PM EST and will feature the nation’s top 90 high school football players.

“Chris is a talented athlete whose exemplary displays of leadership and teamwork have made him a standout at Madisonville High School,” said Colonel David Lee, Director of Strategic Communications, Marketing and Outreach for the U.S. Army Accessions Command. “On January 3, Chris will have the opportunity to showcase his talents live on NBC and in more than 170 countries around the world. We are proud to be the title partner of a program that, like the Army, provides young Americans like Chris with experiences that strengthen them and help them succeed in life as leaders.”

Whaley, a standout running back at Madisonville High School was selected by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee, which consists of SportsLink’s network of regional directors throughout the country, Rivals.com and Tom Lemming. As a U.S. Army All-American, Whaley is eligible for the U.S. Army Player of the Year Award, Walter Payton Trophy and the Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard U.S. Army Awards.

“It is so rare to find a running back with Whaley’s size that can move like he does, but even so, he could be dominating at another position,” said Rivals.com, the largest college and high school sports website.

As part of being selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Head Coach Greg Morgan is invited to travel to San Antonio compliments of the U.S. Army and attend the U.S. Army Coaches Academy, an elite two-day learning experience featuring NFL and NCAA coaches, and to participate in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game week activities.

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is the nation’s premier high school football game, serving as the preeminent launching pad for America’s future college and NFL stars. Reggie Bush, Vince Young, Adrian Peterson and Tim Tebow all made their national debuts as U.S. Army All-Americans. Last year the U.S. Army All-American Bowl set its own attendance record, as 36,534 fans attended the game at the Alamodome along with being the most watched sporting event on television over the weekend, besides the NFL Playoffs.