I love football – as a player, coach and fan (College Football - Oklahoma Sooners). But ain`t you a cowboy you might ask... How do cowboys
and football fit together? Well, Many cowboys in the USA love football. In fact quite a few of todays rodeo stars played football in high
school. But even current College Football and NFL players have cowboy roots. Some NFL players are even known for proudly wearing their
cowboy hats in public, f.e. Peyton Manning, JJ Watt, Von Miller, Jared Allen and Vince Wilfork. And there are a bunch of coaches – especially
high school coaches in cowboy-states like Texas or Oklahoma – who honor their cowboy ways by wearing cowboy hats on the sideline.The
cowboy way and football is deeply rooted in the culture over there... And even I stay cowboy as a football coach and use my cowboy mentaility
and values (and also my christian values) while coaching football in Germany!
Football is not a conventional sport! It is far more: Since its beginning, football has been about forming young men and preparing them for
their future lives. In this part of my homepage I will introduce the sport of football in the USA as well as talk about my experiences as a coach in
Germany. Oftentimes I am asked about football – by Americans who want to know if football exists in Germany and by local coaches who would
like to know why my team was so successful. Therefore I decided to include football on my homepage. In order to understand football, one has
to understand the American sports system first. Therefore I will also compare the German sports system with the American.
Football In The USA
Football is a one of a kind, complex sport and demanding on players and coaches alike. But football gives a lot, too - at least in the USA.
Nobody is forced to play football but those who commit will receive back a lot!
Football is very tactical and is compared to military warfare. and that is not far fetched, football is based on military-like discipline and contains
many military characteristics. Goal of the attacking team is to gain ground (occupy space) by moving forward via ground attack (running plays)
or air attack (passing plays) while the defense team tries to prevent the offense to get into the Endzone. Coaches are very involved and call
the strategies and every play, the players then have to follow the orders and execute the plays. The sport is mentally and physically tough, but
it is far from brutal chaos as some people might think! A lot of discipline, precision and tactical understanding is needed!
The foundation of football
Football was invented to be a lot more than just a sport! Football was not about being played professionaly (that came about 100 years later
as unfortunately sooner or later everything is about making money) - football was invented instead to - in a sports environment - raise and
mold boys into better, strong willed and tough men! Football was developed to help prepare boys for their future! For that reason football was
invented with military like discipline! Because only discipline brings all the virtues that are needed in football: Commitment, sacrifice, mental
and physical toughness, team love and team spirit! So football is not just a common sport, football IS discipline! Discipline is the foundation,
what football was founded on!!! So in order to play football correctly you have to have strict discipline!
Even the New York Times - America`s largest Newspaper - confirms this: "DISCIPLINE is a football coach's favorite word. And like everything
else in football, it's as old as blocking and tackling. Amos Alonzo Stagg and Pop Warner talked about discipline. So did Knute Rockne and
Vince Lombardi" ( New York Times - 28.11.1988).
One of the most successful High School Football Coaches in the USA (and during his time the coach with the most wins in Texas high school
history) is Coach G.A. Moore. Ed Housewright wrote a book about Coach Moore called "Beyond Just Win - The Story of G.A. Moore". In this
book a former football player is quoted: "He is an incredible individual. He`s father-like. He cared about his players and everything that went
on in their lives. It wasn`t just about football. It was about teaching us life lessons. I know in my household , my parents never set any rules for
me because Coach Moore set them all". The book also states: " Moore had rules for the players on the field and off the field. They included a
prohibition on dating during the football season".
In his book "Big and Bright - Deep in the Heart of Texas High School Football" Coach Gray Levy describes the role of football as follows: ""It
wasn`t about winning. It had to do with the more important but less regognized task of building boys into men."
In an article on SI.com from October 24, 2013, High School Football Coach Jeff Scurran writes: "Football has become the last bastion of
discipline. Every good football coach knows you can be the greatest mind in the world when it comes to strategy, but if you don’t train your
troops, it’s all a waste. In football, we are training the troops. We are teaching kids traits desired by many professions, including the military. I
took my team on a trip to West Point a few years ago. I wasn’t surprised to find out that every freshman cadet was required to play on an
intramural football team. Because in football, we are teaching kids hustle, determination, teamwork, effort, discipline, intelligence and that hard
work pays off. If the high school football coach doesn’t teach this, who will?..."
Update 2020: Even the popular regional German newspaper "Aachener Zeitung - Heinsberger Zeitung - Erkelenzer Volkszeitung" calls
Football "a perfectly simulated conquering battle" in a report about the Superbowl. The article further states:" American Football is deeply
rooted in the people. Football is part of the identity. This land is constructed similar to a football team! It is based on discipline, competition
and Success. Take those things away and you have weakness, chaos and decay of moral and ethics. All that is happening in America now".
Those quotes are from an article in Aachener Zeitung published on Feb1, 2020! Impressive for a German newspaper to realize what football is
and to print it!!!
I could certainly bring thousands more examples! Everybody in the U.S. knows that football IS discipline. Parents want Coaches to be tough
and mold their child with discipline! Parents let their kids play football to be formed into better people! After all that is what football is founded
on! Football-communities want tough coaches! I would like to go back to Gray Levy and a statement from his book mentioned above. This
section deals with a winning team (7-0) but the community felt that the coach was not bringing enough discipline: " ...some saw an inability to
discipline is squad correctly and worried that the lack of discipline would cost them...".
So how does football discipline look like and what does it mean to be a football player? I will explain a bit further in in the section "High school
football". But for now let me say this:
Because Football incorporates many different skills, teamwork, as well as physical and mental toughness and discipline, practices have to be
organized and run accordingly. Football practice therefore means high energy! And commands in football have to be communicated loud and
clear. Players also need to know that wrongdoings have consequences - otherwise the sport does not work, especially with boys in puberty...If
you ever watch a high school football practice you will realize that is about the same everywhere and comes close to a military boot camp! The
best high school teams are lead in a dictatorial manner and the reasons are obvious. Team functions like practice or meetings are strictly
mandatory and whoever cannot commit to the strict rules simply cannot be a football player! And because Germany has a different
understanding: A football head coach is far more than what is known as "Trainer" in German sports. Head coaches are the teams leader and
have a lot more authority than "Trainers" have in German sports teams.
How does the actual sport itself work?
During a game there are 22 players on the field, 11 on the offensive team, 11 on the defensive team. In youth football there might be less
players, there are leagues that play 5 on 5, 6 on 6, 7 on 7 or 9 on 9 - but the sport is usually the same. The field is divided into 10 yard
segments. The purpose of the offense is to gain 10 yards in 4 tries (called downs) by either running plays or passing plays. Is the offense
sucsessful, the get another set of 4 downs to gain 10 yards. The defense however tries to prevent the offense from gaining yards.This goes
on until the offense reaches the end of the field, the opponents endzone. Once the endzone is reached points are earned.If however the
offensive team does not gain 10 yards in 4 tries at any point, the other teams`s offense comes on the field and now tries to score points. The
sooner the opponents offense is stopped the better - because the distance to the other teams endzone is shorter! Once a team scores it is
the other teams turn. A field is 100 yards long (plus the endzones on each side) Coaches have to make decisions within a few seconds. They
only have a very short reaction time to read the opponents intentions and tactics and then instruct and position their own players accordingly.
So coaches are highly involved during a football game and call every play and formation! There are many different positions with different
requirements on a football team and many different body types are needed. There are players who never touch the ball (if all goes well). Their
purpose is to "fill space and block". Others have to block and "burst forward" while others run with the ball or others only kick. There are many
different body types in football because players are specialized according to their purpose. I do not want to go into details about the rules
because there are many places on the internet dedicated to those… instead this page wants to provide general information about football in
the USA and Germany as well as personal experiences as a coach in Germany. In order to understand my mindset it is important to
understand the American sports system and, especially the mindset when it comes to football!
In order to truly understand the sport of football one has to understand the American sports system and mindset as it differs extremely from the
German sports system. The American system is well thought-out and and is much more logical than the one in place in Germany in my opinion -
more about that a bit later on. There are 3 main levels of football in the USA, high school, College and Pros.
The American Sports System
In the USA there is no "club sports" like in Germany. Instead, relevant sports is done in schools and universities. There is no adult-Football like
in Germany. Players who don`t make it to College Football or professional / semi-pro football will generally never play football again after high
school! Therefore, for most players their football days end in high school! And this has many (for football) important advantages. You see,
football was not developed to play as adults for many, many years. Instead, since the beginning of football is was about turning youths into
socially minded, well-behaved, tough and disciplined young men because these things are essential for football!
American high school football teams represent not only the school but the entire town while college football teams represent the state or the
region. There is generally no "hobby football" because high school teams as well as college teams (and - of course- pro teams) are lead by
professional coaches and practices even in High School are mandatory. Football as a "hobby on the side" without mandatory practices and commitment would not be football - the foundation of what football is would be missing!
There is no relegating and rising of entire sports teams in the U.S. Instead, players are moving up (and down) based on their skills. The best
high school athletes receive college scholarships to play college football - and the best college players make it to professional and semi-pro
leagues. More in detail later let`s take a look at the three main football levels in the U.S. - because this is very important to understand my
coaching story:
High School Football
Professionally organized football usually starts in high school (and it`s feeder system). It is there where young Americans learn the basics of
the sport and gain football understanding. High school football teams play other high schools in leagues on the state level. However the
meaning and significance of high school football is hard to describe. I think one has to experience the whole thing himself / herself to
understand! Generally the high school is viewed as the heart of the community (especially in small and midsize towns) with the football team
being the main attraction. The school teams threfore not only represent the school but also the entire town identifies with it. City limit signs,
watertowers and local businesses proudly display the teams colors! High school football is a social event that packs the stadiums on friday
nights and businesses are closed. Usually the games are broadcast on radio and even TV! High school football players (age 14-18) are local
celebrities but not only the players enjoy high school football: Many students are involved as cheerleader, rally girls, team managers or in the
school band (kinda like a German Trommlerchorps, but way cooler). The entire town comes together on Friday nights and the team creates a
great deal of school spirit! In the USA, the town and the high school football team usually are one!!! It makes the school time a special time in
the lives of young Americans!
But (high school) football is far more than just a sport and Americans know: Football is also a tool to prepare players for their future lives.
Football is defined by discipline and with that comes will power, perseverance, team love and team spirit. Football teaches to never give up
and challenges its players mentally and physically. Students become better human beings thru football. It is also a fact that football players
usually become better students.
A Football team is lead by the Head Coach. He is usually a teacher, administrator or coaching football can be his only job. The head coach is
supported by assistant coaches (usually teachers) and students - on the lower end - as team manager (take care of team needs like washing
uniforms etc).To be able to instill the necessary degree of discipline (I already explained in the beginning, why military-like discipline and the
resulting virtues are necessary) the head coach usually is given the authority to lead his team as he sees fit by resp. rules and the
administration. He is made the sole leader of the team so that he can implement his rules and philosophies! He is the head of the football
program! Despite being somewhat of a dictator the head coach usually becomes a father figure, teacher, role model and even a bit of a friend
to the players on his team. Coaches are highly involved during games because they have to read the opponents strategy and call every play
that the players have to perform! Football is tough on coaches and players. Nobody is forced to play football but to those students who make
the team (high school sports is a privilege, not a right according to the U.S. Supreme court) football becomes a priority and dominates their
lives during the season! Practices and team functions take place every school day - even saturdays are not off limits!!! Commitment is
assumed and practices and team events are mandatory! Football players are forced to give up some freedoms and submit themselves to the
philosophy and rules of the Head Coach. He is different and far more than just a coach in other sports because football is far more than a
sport! Therefore the head coach has a lot more authorities than let`s say German soccer coaches have...A Head Coach is not a "trainer" or
"head trainer" as they call coaches in Germany...
The foundation of football is discipline. With that comes the needed environment for football. And when players understand that and live that, then they even discipline themselves and love their team and the coaches - despite the dictatorial toughness. Discipline leads to the needed virtues for football: Commitment, physical and mental toughness, endurance, willpower as well as team love and team spirit (both different fromeach other but very important). In order to achieve this, football means dictator-like hierarchies with the Head Coach as the highest authorityand mandatory practices with strictly enforced rules. A popular saying in the USA is: Football is not a democracy, it`s a dictatorship because the head coach must have the authority to build and lead the team according to his philosophy and principles as the teams only leader. He is the face of the team! Coaches have to eliminate those who are unable to give what is asked by football – sounds hard but a team is only as good as it`s weakest link. Everybody who gives it his all will be helped. But football is the wrong sport for whoever does not want to give it his all. But football is absolutely worth it, the rewards are high and high school football players live on it for the rest of their lives!!!
In order to gain a better understanding what football truly means, here are excerpts of team rules from a couple of high school football teams.
The football player handbook of Alvin High School in Texas states the following:
- Being a student athlete is not easy
- Excuses are for the weak
- Discipline will be firm, fair and consistent
- Muscle soreness and fatigue are not injuries. Athletes will be pushed to learn the difference between pain and injury.
- Attendance is mandatory for practice during the fall and the spring
- Doctor notes are the only notes we accept for sitting out from athletics
- Grooming Rules: No facial hair, no hair below the top of the ears, no earrings and piercings (will be taken up)
And the Auburn Mountainview High School in Washington has the following rules for football players
- Practice is always mandatory
- Medical appointments should be made outside of practice time. This is not an excused absence for your son...because he has made a
commitment to his teammates
- Family birthday parties, part time jobs and Babysitting...we do not excuse players for these types of activities
Not all teams make their team rules public but I think both excerps gives a good inside of what football is. I will post links to the entire football
handbooks as well as more interesting links about the subject at the end of the football section.
High school football
High school football
College Football
College Football is at least as popular as the professional football league NFL, in fact, in many regions it is clearly more popular. While the
NFL is about profit, the heart and soul of the sport on the local level is High School Football and on the national level is College Football -
after all, the college teams in most cases represent not only the college but the state! Many Europeans are perplexed by the enormous
popularity of College Football in the U.S. They are unable to comprehend because they have no understand of the American sports culture.
And they are even more complexed when they find out that the largest stadiums are not professional stadiums but college stadiums (7
college stadiums have more than 100.000 seats, no NFL stadium comes even close). The hype for college football is comparable to the hype
for the soccer world cup in Europe: College Fans decorate their homes, vehicles etc and every Saturday during the season there are
countless public and private TV parties as the games are shown on TV by the major networks (The first wave of games usually starts at
11.00/12.00, followed by the second wave at 14.40/15.30 and then the nightgames. Because of different time zones, fans can watch College
Football from early in the morning until late at night, about 25 games are shown live on national TV). The difference compared with the
soccer world cup is that soccer fans only get to celebrate only every for years for 4 weeks while the college football hype lasts from
September until January every year!
My friends and I meet every Saturday during the College Football season to follow our teams LIVE on TV. And of course we do so with plenty of “finger food” and drinks – just like our counterparts in the US. Here are a few pics from our football get-togethers:
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National Football League
While the highest level of football in terms of popularity might be College Football, the highest level in terms of football skills is the NFL. The
National Football League does not use the relegation system like they have in Germany - as already explained earlier. However, sometimes
teams move away because a market is not working anymore financially, or because the team was sold to a different owner. The most popular
sporting event in the USA is the final of the NFL, the superbowl. And even though College Football has the same or a higher level of
popularity, the superbowl is the most popular event because of the NFL`s profit philosophy.
NFL Camp - Coaching with Patriots Star-RB Blount
Houston Texans Stadium
Advantages of the American Sports System (compared to the German club system)
There are many advantages of the American sports system and it beats the German sports system by a country mile. Here are a few reasons
why:
No relegation concept
There is no relegating and rising of entire sports teams in the U.S. Instead, players are moving up (and down) based on their skills. The
best high school athletes receive college scholarships to play college football - and the best college players make it to professional and
semi-pro leagues. Relegating entire teams from pro-ranks all the way down to hobby-ranks like in Germany does not make sense at all to
me: A professional sports team requires a huge organisation behind it. They have offices, a vehicle fleet, employees (admininstrative,
marketing, maintenance etc) and a large stadium. Now imagine an amateur team moving up to the majors, they have to build a huge
organisation. They build offices, hire personnel and build a stadium (probably with the help of taxpayer money). But then imagine that
team gets relegated back to the minor leagues and amateur / recreational leagues! The offices will be empty, the vehicle fleet is sold or
rusting, all their employees laid off and the large stadium that costs a lot of money sits empty! And what if that teams moves up again?!?
That happens constantly over here and it does not make a bit of sense at all! And this system does not make sense for the fans either as
they practically lose the team they love (no more tv coverage, star players gone, no more significance etc). And it makes even less sense
for youth teams as it does not depend on athletic abilities, it depends more on luck weather or not a "major league" youth team is nearby
or not...So even though a player is not that good, he will play "Major league" simply because this is the team in his hometown.... You see,
In Germany there are "major league" youth teams (even though they are also "hobby teams") as well as county-wide hobby leagues. And
what teenager moves away just to play youth football here?!? But actually the same applies for German adult football as even the "major
league" is just hobby / recreational...
Professionality and support locally on all levels
In the U.S. coaches are professionals on all levels of sports - from high school over college to the pros. Because coaches on all levels are
professionals, every player receives professional support and tutering. Even small town football players have a great support system and
have a real chance to have a career in sports. In Germany however, it is a completely different story. Because there is no high school
sports, in Germany coaches are generelly volunteers only!!! And between their regular jobs, families and other commitments it certainly is
not easy to dedicate themselves. And then those coaches who do want to dedicate themselves to their team are inmost cases unable to
do so! Sports in Germany is viewed as a hobby and those voluunteer coaches have to be loyal to their regular job first.Many people work
in places that requrie shift work, so regular practice attendance is impossible. Others are prevented to attend practices because of their
working hours. A regular 9-5 job would make it hard for a volunteer coach to coach youth football. Because of limited availability of
practice fields youth usually have to practice in the afternoon, while most people are still at work (I will get to the point of practice fields a
bit later on). Because sports is only a hobby, employers do not help out volunteer coaches by giving them some time off or switch work
hours...after all it is just a little hobby, not different from collecting stamps for example... This is very sad as (football) coaches could make
such a difference in a young persons life...but I already explained that before...here the general public does not realize the important role
of a sports team and a coach... coaches are merely exercise helpers and sports is only viewwed as a hobby on the side...
Because of the German sports system, players also have many disadvantages: Because youth teams usuall practice in the afternoon due
to field availability (usually: The younger the team the earlier it practices) for some practice times collode with school times. More and more
schools in Germany extend their classes into the afternoon and that makes it impossible for some kids to play a sport at all and talents are
not explored!!! Kids are robbed of the sports experience and possible a career...But even if a kid barely makes it to practice, then there is
no time for homework left...(in Germany kids receive quite a bit of homework assignements expected until the next schoolday). So parents
do not allow their kids to play on a team because of that...and again, sports is only a little hobby...
Practice environment
In the U.S., every high school has their own practice facilities for the sports they offer, so school teams do not have to share their field with
other teams. The football field for example is only used by the football team during the season and daily practice is possible without
interference from other teams. In Germany - again - it is a different story. Most fields are city or community owned and many teams
practice on the field, from soccer teams to track and field to football. Because of the "sports is only a hobby" sentiment the city allocates
only about 4 hours of practice for a team, and usually not even the full field is available. And closed practices (important in football) are as
good as impossible!
Generally no traditional American football possible in Germany
I will not get into detail here because I will do so when I talk about my experiences as a coach a bit later on... however, social laws, club
regulations, German sports mentality, representative teams and many more things generally make real football impossible in Germany.
Coaching Football In Germany
Oftentimes I am asked about football in Germany: I am asked by Americans if their sport even exists in Germany and in what form. Or I am
asked by German coaches or parents about my coaching approach and philosophy. Therefore I would like to share my experiences as a
youth football head coach (the German equivalent to a high school football coach) - even if it takes a little explaining... because I would like
to tell my story, chronologically from the first shock of realizing what the sports system was like over here to finding a team that was willing to
try my "American system" and the subsequent success as a coach of a German U16 team (boys ages 13-16).
Why Football, why coaching?
Ever since I was little, sports has been a big part of my life. After trying several sports as
a young kid and teenager I discovered football and immediately fell in love with it.
Why you might ask. Well, for many reasons! Football is very demanding and challenging
for players and coaches alike. It is tough on player - both mentally and physically. Some
people think football is just unplanned chaos! However it is exactly the opposite!Football
is highly planned tactics. And that is where the coaches come in: A Head Coach is the
"master-mind" of the team, he builds the team according to his philosophy and he installs
the tactics and strategies. It is HIS program and he is the highest authority of the team
and he is the face of the team! He is far from being only the exercise leader that coaches
are in Germany, he is the head of the entire Football program! The players have to learn
the plays and execute them without hesitation. Football players of different body types
are needed, some players are small, some are big, some are tall, some are short! During
the game those plays are given to the players by the coaches via codes that only your
team is supposed to understand. There are usually only a few seconds between the
plays - so the coaches have to read the opponent and find a solution within seconds while the opponents are trying to read you as well. So
a coach is involved in every play and therefore is a main factor of the outcome of each football game! Coaches are like Officers with the head
coach as the general. They give orders to the players who then have to execute those orders to perfection. A head coach not only creates playbooks and strategies, and he not only has to carefully plan and execute practices - he also molds the team and iinstills the right attitude by fiinding the perfect mix of discipline, love and team spirit. And because it is his program he is the face of the program and represents the team to the outside and he is judged for the teams behavior...
My dreamjob has been "High School Football Coach" for a while. Others want to be astronauts or pilors or police officers - but if I had a
choice I would be a high school football coach. But why not NFL coach you might ask: Wel, the high school "flair" is special (see my remarks
above in the high school football section) and I love to work with youth. That is why I am simply not interested in adult football. I just don`t
care for it. And even in the US, football purists reject the NFL because of the reasons mentioned in the very beginning of this page...
Culture Shock - My First Coaching Job in Germany
I received an offer to coach a youth football team near my hometown in 2013 when I was slowly getting to old for bull riding. It seemed like
good timing even though I felt that I still had one or two years left as a bull rider. But at the same time I felt that I couldn`t pass on the
chance to become a football coach. So when I got the offer I jumped at the opportunity – I thought this would allow me to live out my
dream at least a little bit over here in Germany. Little did I know how different it was and what I would get myself into...here is my German
coaching experience in chronological order: So I took the offer but I did not quit rodeoing right away but decided to limit my Rodeo
appearances substantially (I only rode during football-breaks) until retiring in 2015. At that time I did not know much about the German spots
system. I thought football would be football.
Unfortunately I learned very fast that youth football over here (the equivalent to high school football in the US) was completely different!
Sure, football isn`t done in schools here - but I knew that! I am talking about the sport of football itself: I was shocked that what they called
football wasn`t real American football! Yes, the players wore shoulder-pads and helmets, they tackled and scored touchdowns, but the
foundation of how I know football, was completely missing!!! Also: I was hired and called a head coach but I was far from it! Because a head
coach is the leader of the team, he is the undisputed boss, nobody interferes! But here everything was different and I realized: What they
are doing here is NOT football and I could not believe that a so called football club did not know what football is all about!!! Practices were
not mandatory and commitment and discipline was missing! It was run just like a soccer team...The foundation of football was not possible. Soon I learned that it wasn`t only the club that hired me – all the other surrounding teams did it the same way! .
Why real, traditional football is generally not possible in Germany
I already explained how football was developed and what it was based on. Now the question is: Is the discipline needed for football to
develop the virtues needed for football possible in Germany? Can a head coach be the undisputed "dictator" as single head of the entire
football program - without interference of others? Can coaches demand mandatory practices and commitment, make strict rules and
dismiss players who break rules and do not commit? Sadly the general answer is a clear NO!
One of the main reasons is the German club system. A club is a legal structure with equal voting rights and descisionmaking rights . And
social Laws and regulations given by the government and the sports authorities generally do not allow American type football. I guess all
those things formed a German sports mentality that brings it very far from even grasping what real football is!!!
German laws and guidelines of the sport associations are generally also against American football...guidelines for clubs are against sole
team leaders and against authority! One principle of the state sport assosciaton is that no one will be forced to take part in an exercise.
The manual also states that sport youths are to be raised to self- fulfilment. (the LSB print " operation guideline for clubs" can be read at
lsb.nrw - unfortunately my print does not have a date on it)
Further German social law states that offers for youths have to be shaped in part by the youth itself and that the youth has to have
self-determination.
I think those and many more things developed a sports-understanding that is very, very far from what football is! Those things in general
make American football impossible!
.
If you want to go into detail: I have compiled a detailed elaboration of why German club laws, social laws and sports culture generally make
real American football impossible over here...so if you are up for a lot of information - click here!
But now on to my personal coaching story:
My Story: Against all odds
At the end of 2012 I received an offer from a German football to club to be the head coach of their youth team. I did not really know the
German sports system and thought, I could live out my dream of being a high school football coach at least a little bit. After taking the job I
realized right away that I was far away from a head coach, even though I was hired as one. I was perplexed because what was done was not
even real football as the foundations were completely missing: The team was not my program, instead the youth director basically lead the
team, not the head coach! And then there was a team manager who was responsible for all organizational aspects of the team as well as
parent communication. I as Head Coach was only in charge of the team during exercises that I lead. And I was allowed to call plays during
games. Everything else was done by the team manager or youth director. Practices and exercises were not mandatory so needless to say:
The fundamentals, the foundation of football was impossible to establish. I was called head coach- but because of the clubs structures and
rules – I was far from it. In order to build football principles it is important that the head coach is the highest authority within the team and
nobody interferes! He makes the rules and is the boss! That is common sense: How can military-like discipline be build and kept if several
people are in charge and have authority. The leadership is weak and confusion as well as contradictions are common. Whether intentional
or not - I had to experience this over and over again. A team is only as strong as its leadership! And if there is a higher authority as the head
coach then this will make football-discipline impossible. Just imagine that the youth director is the highest authority within the team (and the
superior of the head coach), And now imagine, that this youth director is elected by the kids themselves or their parents!!! And then the
team manager in charge of the teams daily operations while the head coach is only the exercise leader. How can a head coach lead
adolescence teenagers when those kids know exactly that he is not in charge!?! How can he lead them if they know that they don`t have to
participate in practices or exercises and that they have self government and their will trumps the needs of the team!?! Kids working to reach
their limits and the needed discipline is impossible! In the USA football means to put the team before your own needs, it means to work hard
and reach your limits, it means discipline, perseverance and willpower! Players learn to deal with tough situations! Unfortunately, here exactly
the opposite is desired!!!
Practices were started with a speech by the team manager where he informed the players about upcoming events, schedules etc. In his
speech he also tried to motivate the kids and I as the head coach stood there like an assistant and had to wait until he turned the team over
to me and told me how much time I had with (what was supposed to be ) my team until I had to turn them over to him again – because it was
the team manager who closed the practices with a speech as well. During practices I was`t alone with my team and my assistants (well, it
wasn`t my team and my assistants like it is supposed to be) – because the youth director and team manager were almost always around and
watched what the team was doing. I wasn`t even allowed to enter the locker room– that was a coaching free zone and the players private
area! But the locker room is where the head coach leads the team and important team building takes place!!! (everybody who has watched
a high school football movie surely knows what I am talking about). And I as the head coach wasn`t allowed to enter the locker room?!? Over
and over I couldn`t believe what was going on at that club! It was a football club – or wasn´t it?!? Practice times were determinded by the
team manager in arrangement with the youth director – I had no say in it! During the winter months I had to even turn over my team to the
youth director as all 3 youth teams were merged into one big group coached by all youth coaches under the direction of the youth director!
So I had to turn over my team for 3 months to be coached by other coaches and other philosophies! I couldn`t believe it! How and when we
met and drove to games was also the team managers responsibility, not the head coachs. And how the kids waited for the game to begin
was also the team managers say. Even the pre-game speech was delivered by the head Coach AND the team manager! The team
managers speech sometimes completely underminded my speech and what I wanted the kids to understand! I couldn`t believe it. I couldn`t
even decide the color of socks the kids wore during a contest - uniform and equipment was the responsibility of the team manager! The
youth director told me how to talk to "my" assistant coaches and he decided what their responsibilities were, not me as "head coach". I was
far, far away from the definition of a head coach! Instead I was told: "You are a head coach, not the team leader!!! Because of the
conditions there, I was not able to build typical virtues ( Team love, team spirit, discipline, willpover, endurance) according to my American
football philosophies.I was told that the team had discipline but they did not even know what discipline in regards to football even meant! The fact that I could not even make practices mandatory says it all... And I was unable to build relationships worthy of a head coach with my players. I was unable to build love, spirit and commitment because of German philosophies and structures of the team...Welcome to German club system!
I couldn`t believe it: How could a football club not know how football works! Even by watching football on TV you should be able to pick up
enough about the sport to know how it is done. But they probably only watch the NFL. And probably not the original American broadcast but
the German broadcast. And this is probably pretty much “Germanized” where viewers do not come to know what football actually is. After all
- I would imagine - German football broadcasts want to spark the interest of the German sports mentality… so I assume they did not even
know what real football means! If they would watch American football broadcasts and listen to the announcers they would realize what it
means to be a head football coach! And if they would then wonder why that is they would quickly find out that this has to do with the
foundation of what football is!!!Or they could just check out what the American wikipedia says about a head coach in football. Or maybe read
books about football…or watch American football practices on youtube…it would be pretty clear pretty quick! However what happened at that
club was unbelievable for an American football mind like mine! But then I realized that not only this club but all surrounding clubs were also
operated by those or similar principles.
So over time I learned why real football in the German club system is generally impossible. My (American) football understanding collided
over and over again with the opinions of the youth director and the team manager. Over and over and over again I was told what I couldn`t
do or what I had to do. I was only an average coach because I did not have the authority to install my football philosophies. I kept colliding
with the team manager and youth directors opinions. I tried to talk to them and explain to them, but it fell on deaf ears. I wasn`t the head
coach, but rather felt like an assistant coach to the youth director – because he was the leader of the team, not me! Even regular practice
where effected as I felt like I was monitored all the time. I realized that I had very limited authority so I coached accordingly…
All this wasn`t good for my health I guess… I had been looking forward to lead a football team as their head coach but because of the
constant collisions with the German mentalities and club structures it wasn’t good for my soul. The constant dissatisfaction left a mark, so I
left the club per “mutual agreement” as it is called. But I was excessively disappointed that real football wasn`t possible and that German kids
were denied the great experience of football! Not only the high school experience but the football experience in itself: What was done at that
club was far away from football! Sure, they wore helmets and shoulder pads and they tackled, but the foundation of football was missing
completely. I am, however, in a way thankful that I was asked by that club to coach their team…otherwise I likely never would have started
coaching football in Germany. And the bad experience kinda prepared me for the real coaching job that followed a year later.
Not all teams take it to the extreme like mentioned above – hopefully – but because of the German sports mentality and because of club laws
and social laws is real football generally not possible! Over time I came to this realization, even though I learned this only in batches…
After that experience I went back to Oklahoma to "charge my spiritual batteries". During the time in the U.S. I was part of a high school
football team and when I came back to Germany in 2014 I felt the strong urge to get back into coaching football over here. Even though I did
not have high hopes I gave it one more try! I found an organisation without a youth team and when I told them about my American
philosophy and what I believe football means they surpri- singly did not look at me like I was crazy. I don`t think they complete understood
where I was coming from and what they were getting into but they agreed to hire me as the head coach of the youth department. I decided to
start up an U15 team (age 12 - 15) as this was the closest I could get to a high school football team age wise (In 2016 the age was changed
from 13 to 16) . Because the club did not have a U15/16 team I had to build my team pretty mutch from scratch...but I knew that I could only
coach for 3-4 years, because club voting rights only allows real football for a short time (and only when there is no U19 team in the
club...)
My High School Football Philosophy in Germany
Much to my surprise the club agreed to all my terms ( American high school system instead of German system as much as possible, no
interference form anybody within the organisation, not even "Vorstand", they even changed the standard rules and concepts with the help of a
lawyer etc) and I could not believe that I now was truly a football head coach for high school aged kids in Germany! Indeed I was in charge of
everything – just like I needed to be. Only I and my coaches had contact with the kids! However I promised myself that I would quit the day they
don`t let me any- more and I don`t feel like a head Coach anymore. I did not want to go thru all the troubles again. I owed that to my health..
So how was it possible to bring real football to my kids despite the German settings? Well, at first I had no clue that my philosophies were
against the principles of the sports authorities and even social laws. I thought it was just against the German sports culture and typical club
structures - and that would have been hard enough by itself...Over time we realized more and more. We came up with interpretations of those
laws that would still allow us to continue my philosophies. The club engaged a lawyer and even though legally questionable he encouraged us
to go forward. He said when it really goes to court it would be up to the judges..And the club always had my back, their motto was like: "Well, if
somebody wants to sue us then sue us...and then we`ll see what the judges say. Before that we won`t give in!" I am very thankful for their
approach!!! But the Bulldozer realized how successful we were!!! Even when the Football Assn came up with new rules in 2016 that
seemingly made real football completely impossible and I threatened to resign, they stood behind me. With the help of the lawyer we
negotiated with the Assn and we were allowed to change those rules. I guess they were not sure about the legal ramifications and did not want
a legal battle with us. I completely rewrote those rules and the Assn confirmed that we were the only team in the entire state that complained
about it! Every other team signed the new rules. So looking back it is a miracle that I found a club that put up with all of it and stood behind
me. It was a true miracle!!!
Sure, not everything was like in the US: I didn´t have my own field, instead we had to share it with soccer teams and the other teams of the
Bulldozer (adult team and flag team). But they even switched practice schedules around to accommodate my wishes and I could decide
when and how often I wanted to schedule practices. They even build a little office for me in the locker room! We practiced three times a
week for 2 1/2 hours plus saturdays when needed (about once or twice a month). Also, football does not have the status it has in the US.
Therefore many advantages of playing football are missing over here and it is harder to bind a player to the team...
Most importantly, the "Vorstand" (elected club leadership) agreed not to interfere. It was my program and I was the lone teams leader!
Players and parents didn`t even know who the Vorstand was because my team was completely blocked off from the rest of the club - just like
it was supposed to be! I was the only point of contact for players and parents alike. And even if parents complaint with the club leadership
they refered them to me as the person in charge and did not get involved! But this was only possible because the leaders were players and
former players and therefore had a strong standing within the club
So now I was truly the head coach of a football team! I knew I only had a couple of years as a real head coach (as explained earlier). And I
knew it was going to be hard to find players. Not only because of the sports mentality over here but also mainly because there are 5
football clubs in and around Duesseldorf... and the Bulldozer were pretty much the most unknown one...
Our first practice took place in January 2015 and it was somewhat of a culture shock for the handful of kids that came to the field on
early Saturday morning. My plan was clear: First I wanted to install a high degree of discipline. Practice attendance and exercises were
mandatory (exceptions only possible with my approval), and so was a high degree of discipline. Of course German kids weren`t used to it
since they never experienced anything like it at other sports / clubs but I stuck with it! Bad language was forbidden and players addressed
meas "Coach" and questions were answered with "Yes Sir" or "No Sir". For those of you not familiar with American culture: It is quite normal
(especially in the south or midwest) to address older people with "Sir" or "Ma`am". It is also used to show respect.In fact: Parents are
addressed "Sir" or "Madam" by their kids quite often). So the needed respect towards me was implied right from the start - and by the way: Just because we did not go by "Du" (used to address friends) like it is normal in German football did not mean we did not love each other. And if you find the right kids and continue to explain why absolute discipline and love are so important it even works here in Germany! At least with kids who really understood football and developed the will to succeed. A larger problem are parents who don`t want to accept our rules and discipline. We often lost players are did not even get players because parents just wanted their kid to play a little sports on the side as a little hobby without any commitments and priorities...this typical mentality brought a lot of stress and grief for me. But I did not give up until I had build strong military like disciple followed by great love!Instead of actual practices we oftentimes had team meetings where I showed my team videos about high school football.
After discipline came team spirit and love! And just like in the US this caused high willpower, perseverance etc.The kids became better
members of society because of football! I can honestly say that I had never seen a team that loved each other like our team did. We talked
about mutual love a lot, too! At first it must have been very strange for the kids to openly talk about loving each other (I am not talking about
team spirit, thats different). But they quickly understood why it was important. They also saw that it was working. They developed an
unbelievable team love. Over and over we talked about it, especially when new players joined the team I explained what we meant by this.
Our kids became committed and took a lot of pride in their commitment, love etc! I also showed them many videos of American high school
football. They began to truly understand football! Representative team participation was not allowed but my kids id not want to, they
understood why this was against real football...
Whenever we had new players we met for 5 hours on saturdays before and after practice to introduce new players to our philosophies,
rules, love etc as this was completely unheard of to them. We showed new kids videos of high school football and their practices. I called
this "freshman orientation".
But also the entire team met on the regular bases to talk about love and the kids talked about personal issues. Because how can you love
each other (besides sozial moral type of love) when you don`t know each other...
Important to me was a personal relationship with my players! How can you talk to them about loving each other without a personal
relationship. So my approach included not only the actual sport of football including it`s social moral type of teaching (leading to discipline,
willpower, endurance, behaviour etc) but also a personal relationship. I believe that those relationships with the kids also determined parts
of our success in football and moral education. And I like to think that I had a close relationship with my players (those who understood the
game and stayed). That meant a lot to me. The kids even came over to my place even though I lived 2 hours away from them. My home was
always open for them. But because I lived so far away and they had to rely on public transportation (no license under 18 here) it took them
2 hours to get to my place by bus and train...But despite the distance the boys came over several times during the year, for BBQs, to watch
college football or even to ride my rodeo practice bucking barrel (some of the guys liked my cowboy ways even though it was very unusual
for Germany). Of course I never asked them or pushed them to like my lifestyle but I always showed them when they showed interested. So
we not only taught them football with discipline, willpower, team spirit and love etc but because of our relationship we also taught them other
things too! Random stuff like how to ride a bull or how to catch a chicken on a farm. We taught them what their muscles mean in a fight,
what their bodies weak spots are and how to protect those if needed. We taught them how to find back to the water surface while diving and
how to sing karaoke (Ok, we failed the karaoke part). But back to football:
When players truly understand why coaches - especially the head coach - need to be tough on them, they still love him back. In fact they
are tough on themselves, discipline themselves and love each other dearly! And we viewed our team more like a high school football team
than a German club team and the players where mighty proud of that! They were completely blocked form the other teams in the club just
like it was supposed to be... There was no youth director, no team manager and no Vorstand who told me what to do and how to do it! I was
in charge of all team aspects! Like in the US the player viewed me as a role model, father figure and teacher. Oftentimes they told me "We
love you coach". Sure, there was no actual high school but the sport and the dangers are the same so I believe that imitating a high school
football team is needed to be successful. But over time I even installed typical high school things like an annual coaches BBQ at my place,
Seniors (players in the last year of high school and the team) and the special circumstances that come with being a senior, yard-signs,
receptions etc. Now you might say: "But you are not in the USA." True that but I will say what I said before: "We play the same sport with the
same complexity and the same dangers". And our success proves me right - not only on the field but also socially speaking: My boys turned
into disciplined, strong-willed young man with manners and character! Football prepares boys for real life and makes them better people!!!
Unfortunately this is unwanted in German sports...
Sadly therefore, enforcing real football with its foundation did bring me quite a bit of grief!
In order to ensure real football principles in Germany I had to make myself very unpopular – it was a constant fight against parents,
influences within the club, adult players etc – because the American football mindset was completely foreign to them! And despite extensively
informing parents of players who wanted to join the team about our team rules and reasons why we do things a certain way – oftentimes the
German sports mentality was too deeply ingrained and we frequently lost players because of it.
What is normal in the USA (commitment, discipline, mandatory practices) is not desired and even against the usual interpretations of German
law! German society views local sports as a hobby and simply recreational. So accordingly is the mindset of German parents and adult
players. In fact, oftentimes the kids wanted to commit but the parents didn`t get it.
So when I told people about my plans, over and over again I was told: “We are in Germany, discipline and mandatory practices is not do-
able, it is impossible to enforce!”. The only ones who did not view my plans negatively was the managing board of the Bulldozer! But I stuck
to my guns and stayed true to football principles. And the results that the kids achieved because of it (not only regarding the sports itself but
also social-moral aspects) were impressive.
Astonished parents (of the kids who stayed) conveyed to me how their kids behavior improved because of my American high school football
philosophy. When they asked their sons for the reason of their mind change the answers were usually along the lines of: "I learned that at
practice" or "coach said.." Improvements in school also happened! Players who had to leave the team due to age wrote to me and thanked me
that they became better humans and that they were able to play football with commitment and discipline ad the attached advantages. They saw
for themselves how successful my system was and they never experienced relationships like our team has ever before. They were so proud of
our philosophy and tough love!They were so thankful that they were able to experience all of this in Germany I can not imagine why all of those
positive changes and experiences are not wanted in Germany. That - in fact - exactly the opposite is desired here! It makes me sad that so
many teenagers in Germany are robbed of all those great experiences! But the culture here tells children and youths that sports is just a little
hobby and that commitments and hard work are not needed!
Lets start a year by year story of our team:
2015 - My First Year As Head Coach
Well, the plan was to join U15 league play in 2016 and only play test games or “friendly games” in 2015. Of course there was no way to get to
the needed minimum player number by February – as demanded by the league. So after I started the team I searched for assistant coaches.
As the head coach it was up to me who I selected and hired. Because my American system was not known it was not easy to find the right
people. Because if the other coaches don`t understand what it is about they might destroy more than they help… But soon after I found a
young assistant with even a little bit of coaching experience ( in the German system but thru training he understood and “lived” the philosophy).
Our First Games
Only a few weeks after our very first practice, we played our first game and we won! After the first game I found one more coaches so we went
to our second game with three coaches. And we won our second ever game too! Nobody believed that we had only existed for a few weeks
since we had beaten teams with years of experience in league play! Plus we were badly outnumbered and outsized! But the way the kids
behaved and acted in those games was so different from the other teams and everybody was amazed and not only our parents realized how
special this team was. They had never seen such a love for each other before. After the games we scheduled a couple of joint practices with
other teams. And in the summer, I invited all my players and coaches to my home for a coach`s bbq, a tradition I kept in future years as well
April 2015
Coach`s BBQ
Coach`s BBQ
Aces Bowl Champion
During the year we added one more young coach and prepared for a tournament that we were supposed to play after the summer break.
We were looking forward to it because it would be the first time this young team would play for something meaningful. To us it was like a
Superbowl, but again we had to face experienced teams that actually played in a league. But our very first year in existence continued
successful: We won the first game of the tournament by a couple of touchdowns to qualify for the final. Despite losing our team leader on
offense and defense we also won the Championship game 40-12! We won the Tournament. So we ended our very first year with a total of 4
wins, no losses) and a nice trophy
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Awards and Christmas Party 2015
We finished our very first year of existence with a perfect record of 4 wins and no losses. To celebrate our first year, we met in December to review the year and hand out awards (not individual awards though - I am not a friend of MVPs etc because it takes a team effort)
2016 - Growing Pains... But Still Perfect
Unfortunately, coach Patrick had to leave the team due to his job situation. He was hoping to be able to continue in 2017 though. We lost
another coach in February – also due to work. We also lost and gained coaches - mainly work-related issues. None of my assistants had
any coaching experience so we started the 2016 league with 3 coaches, me and two young assistants. So the situation was not perfect…
Then the League decided to change the age requirements for the the U15. They changed from U15 to U16 but at the same time limited the
eligible years from 4 to 3 (2000 – 2002.). That meant that a couple of kids that were an integral part of the team in 2015 (as the youngest
age group) were not allowed to be part of us in 2016. And once again I was dumbfounded about the lack of football knowledge over here:
Instead of an easy solution (allow 2003 kids to play for one year – 2017 would have been normal) they destroyed a team that played
together in 2015 and forced those kids to go to a U13 team. We did not have a U13 team but even if we did: After one year of U15 (2003
kids were the youngest) those kids were forced to leave? After they experienced the love and team spirit of the team for just one year?!?
This again proved that teams here do not love each other like we did – otherwise there would have been an outcry… Anyways, our affected
kids wanted to rather stay and not play for a year than join other local clubs that had U13s! The kids loved the team and I loved them so I
could not turn them away. At the same time we received a couple of inquiries from U13 aged kids so I decided to form a U13 team within the
U16 team – with me as a head coach. That way they could be part of the team. The plan was to practice together for the most part and to
view it as one team…that was only possible because the U13 was not supposed to play in a league though. We called the U16 our “Varsity”
team and the U13 was the “JV Team”. Unfortunately the coaching situation got worse and the JVs die not get much attention because the
Varsity team played in a league and we had to get them ready. The JV team practiced with the U16 for the most part but when it came to
plays they had to watch from the sideline most of the time. It kinda broke my heart but I had no choice. I guess the U13 kids didn`t have any
issues with it, they were just happy to be part of the team. But I hated for them to not get much time to practice their plays. We even had to
cut a practice day for the U13 during U16 league play. Therefore I am very proud of their achievements. During the U16 pre-season we also
scheduled games for the U13 because the teams the U16 played against also had U13 teams. While the U16 just scrimmaged the U13
played actual games. And amazingly our U13 won all 3 games in dominating fashion. All 3 games were already decided at halftime even
though we had only 2 back up players and did not practice much together! In fact the only time they were able to do "plays" for the most part
was during the U16 water breaks... But also the U16 won all 3 of their pre season games and I felt optimistic about the regular season. I
know it would be tough though because we were outnumbered and much smaller than the other teams. And then by the middle of the
season we lost all but one coach for various reasons like work and illness (thanks to the system there is no commitment for coaches either
as they all have regular jobs that come first...) The one remaining coach besides me was not there for most of the time either so I was
basically by myself with two teams for most of the 2nd half of the season!
League Champion
After founding and building the team in 2015 we (barely) had enough players to meet the state football assn requirements so we registered
for league play. Even though we gained limited game playing experience in 2015 we didn`t know much about the league and how we`d
compare. I felt we had a built a good and motivated team but we were always outnumbered (we only had a few backups) and outsized by our
opponents. So the first game was a "great unknown". Everybody - players and coaches were pretty nervous ( I guess the kids did not see
how nervous us coaches were) but once we won that first game everybody settled down. We played 11 games in league play that year. We
had two close games during the season, one of them took a bit of a trick play (a running back pass to our wide receiver) to open up the
running lanes so we could go back to "cruise mode". In the end we won all of our 11 games. Despite being the youngest, smallest and always
outnumbered team without much experience t we played a perfect season right in our first year!
Camp 2016
Camp 2016
League play
Coach`s BBQ
Coach`s BBQ
League play
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Championship Party
Championship Party
Windeck Football Cup Champion
After our U13 (well, it wasn`t really a functional U13, it was more like an attachment to the U16 since the U13 almost never practiced
together) played three games earlier in the year, we were invited to the Windeck Football Cup, a tournament for U13 teams during an off-week for the U16. Despite the lack of practicing together (they could only practice plays during U16 water breaks) and being outnumbered again our kids won both games and with that, the tournament!
Year End Awards Banquet
Both teams finished the year perfect, the U16 with a record of 11-0. the JV Team 5-0. That gave us reason to celebrate at the end of the
year again.
2017 - Another Year...And Still Perfect!
At the Beginning of 2017 we lost quite a few of our experienced players. Only 40 percent of our starting offense had experience, our
starting defense only 20 percent!!! Every other player was new! And – just like last year – we lost coaches (due to work) so I was by
myself again. Well, for about 2 Months during the league season I had 2 Assistants however because of their German sports mentality
I had to let them go - they hurt more than they helped…
Winter Bowl Champion
Since there were no games in the fall (some leagues carry over but are short because natural grass fields are closed from fall to spring)
we decided that 7 months without games would be too long (in Germany a club usually practices year round except for summer break,
Christmas and spring break). So we scheduled a game in February (pre-season would begin in April) and with that created a whole new
season. That "winter season" culminated with the game, the "Winter Bowl". It was not just a friendly, instead we made it an important
game: It was played on Superbowl sunday and the winner received a nice trophy. Because we had so many players with no experience at
all it was also important from that point of view. We won the game 24-8 and brought home another win.
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League Champion
We went to our 3-day pre-season camp again shortly before the start of the league (Coach Patrick and one of last years players came to camp with us due to lack of other coaches at that time) but only played one pre-season scrimmage this year. And just like last season we were always outsized and outnumbered. We had no business being successful but yet we were!!! The unity of the team was unbelievable!!! I had never seen a team with this much love, discipline and willpower and motivation!!! We were not successful because of our athletic abilities, we were successful because of our American commitment, structures and mindset!!! Because of their military discipline and love the players found a new level of willpower that they never knew was there!!! We won every game and finished with a perfect season again!!! Unfortunately a team had to forfeit the remaining season shortly after the beginning of league play. So that year we only had 6 games. We won the closest game by 4 touchdowns, all other games were already decided by halftime. I actually felt sorry for the kids on the other teams. But what could I do… We only had a couple of backups (and most of the players started on offense and defense) so even when I had all my backups playing we still had most of the starters on the field! In fact that upset me because when I wanted to rest the starters I couldn’t! Our defense allowed only 3 touchdowns all season! I am so proud of the boys! They really understood what it means to play football!!! And they were so proud of their hard work, American style
Camp
Camp
League play
League play
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League play
League play
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Coach`s BBQ
Coach`s BBQ
League play
League play
Championship Party
Fall Showdown Champion
Just like with the Winter Bowl during the last winter we scheduled another stand alone game between the seasons. It took place in Nov-
ember and this time we called it "Fall Showdown". Again, we treated it like a bowl game because it was important to us for several reasons:
It was the final game / farewell game for a couple of Seniors / team leaders. Them boys were pretty important to us and we wanted to send
them off in style. I also had a hunch that it could be my final game as well. Anyways, we had a few new players who never played a game
so they needed the experience. And the winner would get a nice trophy again. The game proved to be the most physical game we played
all year and our boys loved the challenge. Our new players received a lot of playing time and we played a freshman QB who was supposed
to lead the team in 2018. In the End the final score was 52-18 in our favor.
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Year End Awards Banquet
Our annual year end party took place in december and once again we had plenty of awards to give out to our players. Just like every
year coach Patrick also supported the event. After all he helped me with camp so he was once again a welcomed guest.
2018 - The End
After finishing 2017 by myself without any assistant coaches I was glad to find 2 more coaches for 2018. Like I said before, I wasn`t sure
about the future so having new coaches on board was important. One of them was a senior from 2017 who wanted to support us instead of
going on to play in a U19 team. The other one was a former youth player (not with our club though) who had to quit playing because of
health reasons. He understood and lived our American system right away though...
Retirement as Head Coach - Spring 2018
Earlier I stated why real football is as good as impossible. And even if it
somehow is, it is only possible for a couple of years. I have been blessed that
I was able to be a real head coach for 3 1/2 years. I think based on my
statements regarding the German system I could have stayed for a couple
more years, however my personal situation and a new German law forced my
to "resign" from my position as head coach of the Bulldozer U16. I turned the
team over to my assistant coach Ruffy who had joined us a couple of month
earlier.
I had pushed back the effects of my personal situation for a whle but it was
getting too hard. And when a new German law seemingly disabled the club to
keep the American chain of command I knew the time had come. I was still
giving 100 percent to not let down the kids but the end had come. I look back
on about 4 great years with a bunch of great kids. With a brand new-founded
team we right away won every single league game, bowl, friendly game or
scrimmage. I end my time as head coach with a record of 32 wins and 0
losses. But it wasn`t only about the success on the field. What meant a lot was
the social moral aspect! We helped a lot of boys to become better people.
Parents were impressed by the change of behavior and that means a lot to
me without interfearing! My faith was also a big part of my approach and we
prayed in Jesus name before every game. It hurts me to write these lines...but
I I so am thankful for those who understood what football is all about! My
thanks go out to the Bulldozer leadership, first Jens who hired me and then
Thomas, Christian and also Oliver! Thanks for giving the team completely to
me!Also a huge thank you to the parents for their support. Thanks to my
assistant coaches for everything! Thanks to those teams we had friendly
relations with, it was a good time with yall. Most of all thanks to God for
allowing me to coach in Germany!
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My final practice
New head coach Ruffy
Emotional Farewell
I guess by know you know how much I loved my kids. They were like sons to me (without meaning disrespect to their real parents), but
also like friends in a way (even though I was tough on them when I needed to be). After all, we met 3-4 times a week and a certain bond
had been formed. And like I said, it wasn`t just about football and it wasn`t just about the social moral aspect that is part of high school
football. It was also about a personal relationship. So we not only taught them football with discipline, willpower, team spirit and love etc
but because of our relationship we also taught them random stuff like how to ride a bull or how to catch a chicken on a farm. We taught
them what their muscles mean in a fight, what their bodies weak spots are and how to protect those if needed. We taught them how to find
back to the water surface while diving and many more things. And the kids liked to come over to my place. So two weeks after my
resignation the team came over for a weekend, camped in my backyard for 2 days and just hung out for the weekend. It was kinda like a
farewell weekend. They took a 2 hour train and bus ride to get here (no cars for kids under 18 here – so they all had to take public
transportation). My team coming over to say good-bye meant the world to me! But I knew that when they left after that weekend - that was
it. I was no longer their coach! I enjoyed one last weekend with my kids from Saturday morning until Sunday night. We watched all of our
football videos of our team, we rode the bucking barrel, we even had a cowboy church service on Sunday morning..but the end had to
come: I was devastated when they left that Sunday night at around 5.30. They told me they loved me and I told them the same, we
hugged and they just walked away! That was it! My team, my boys walked away... I had fought my emotions for the last few hours we had
together on that Sunday but seeing them walk away for the final time I became pretty emotional. It felt like my whole world collapsed. I felt
so alone! The kids that I had given so much to – and they had given me so much - just walked away. I know I did not really have a choice
and the decision was the right one in light of the situation at hand but in that moment – seeing my kids walk down that road towards the
bus stop - was pretty bad. It kinda broke my heart and nobody but the Lord will ever know how much I love them. The final practice a
couple of weeks prior wasn`t as bad because I knew I would see them boys again in a couple of weeks but now, that was it…Even though I
only coached for about 4 years as their head coach it felt like 10 years. It felt like my life`s work had ended. As a firm believer in Jesus
Christ and my faith being the priority of my life I know I probably shouldn`t say it like this but that is how I felt in that moment...very
emotional.. That night I deleted myself from the teams whatsapp group and that was it. I was now officially no longer connected to my
team, my boys, and everything I had build up. That feeling was so helpless! We said we would meet again but who knows what the future
brings. Maybe I can be a guest speaker at their practices sometime... one of my players I am very proud of left for a high school year in
the US so who knows if or when I`ll see him again...so who knows what happens. It hurt a lot after spending so much time with my kids in
the past years. But I was thankful for the time we had together: And in the words of a country song "I could have missed the pain but I would have had to miss the dance". Commitment to Greatness!!!
Update - September 2018
After my resignation my assistant coach took over the team and I had hoped to still go back for some practices in the future. Coach Ruffy
had promised to invite me as a "special guest coach" and allow me to take over the team for special practices or the pre-season
camp.However Coach Ruffy was released by the Bulldozer a few month after my resignation. The club went back to the regular German
structure and philosophies and the adult team took over the youth in order to form a U19 team instead. So the team that I founded is not
there anymore and I realize that I will most likely never be able to coach again in Germany.
This concludes my personal story of coaching in Germany. For further elaborations, thoughts and infos about football click here