Month: November 2018

So, on Friday morning the boss (wife) and I get up early and return to Lucerne from Bern.  After getting to  Lucerne I would take a train to Willesau to get to the training camp for the Senior, Junior and Flag football teams of Switzerland.

The boss (wife) was to stay in Lucerne while I attended the weekend camp to establish the National Teams for Switzerland.  (I took all of her  credit cards and left her with 20 Swiss francs – well, maybe I left her with 50 francs)

The Direrctor of the National Team – Andy Keller retrieved me at the train station (SBB was on time as usual!) and we drove the few minutes to the sports center.

Willesau has  an amazing facility.  From what I understand there are several national training centers across Switzerland.  Willesau is certainly one of them.

 

***I was at Zuchwil with the Junior National Team two summers ago – I think it is another of the elite camps that Switzerland has established for their athletes.  We also had our Sound Mind Sound Body Europe Camp at Tenero – which in another amazing facility built for the top athletes in the country!***

 

Willisau Athletic Complex

To say the facility is all encompassing – well it is!  We
have all of the essentials.  Rooms for all the players and coaches…dining hall….meeting rooms….lockers… and several football fields!  You would be hard pressed to find anything like this in the States.

If we stayed longer we could have training rooms, weight lifting areas, running tracks etc.  (By the way the training complexes at Zuchwil and Tenero are built
with these amenities as well.). You have to give the sports administrators in Switzerland credit.  They have done great job of providing training sites for athletes in all sports.

The SAFV (Schweizerische American Football Verband or Swiss American Football Federation) did an outstanding job of setting up the whole operation.

Like any organization there are a lot of political issues.  But after spending a lot of time with the National Teams Director Andreas Keller and his chief assistant Anna Zinsli the group is trying to work through many issues to make the National teams stronger than they have ever  been.

I really found it very informative and interesting spending as much time as I did with Andy and Anna.  Both, obviously smart and aware of the landscape of the SAFV they patiently worked me through issues that are presented throughout the league and non particular the National Teams.

I really respect what Andy and Anna were able to accomplish.  I am sure it was a stressful time making sure that everything was operating on schedule and within the budget.  They did a great job and the SAFV should be thankful to have them in their positions.

Later I was able to spend time with Glenn Chase the president of the SAFV.   Over the past two years we have had several conversations by email.  But, he and I sat and talked for several hours.  Exchanging ideas on how to keep improving the National Teams.  (There is no doubt that he is fighting against some bad odds since the individual clubs are all operated in different ways.)

I really believe that everyone has their heart in the right place and it is imperative that we need to keep expanding the breadth of the SAFV and the education of administrators, coaches and players.

Being the optimist that I am – I really believe that we will see some firm progress as we continue on with this plan.  I think as we can keep things going in the right direction we will see a vast improvement in our competition with other European teams.

 

I was privileged to be invited by Andy and Glenn to watch the entire operation at the Swiss National camp.  It was truly an honor to be included in this group of coaches and administrators.

These are top flight young people  who have the best interests of the players in Switzerland in mind.  I saw some pretty good coaching and teaching going on at all three levels.  The Seniors (20+), Juniors (U 19) and Flag teams.

After being associated with the Junior National team a few years ago I was acquainted with all of the coaches for

that squad.  I did miss my good friend Giorgio Volpi who is really involved with a lot of things right now and could not be part of our camp.

But, upon his recommendation the defense was coordinated by Walti Tgetgel who is a fantastic coach.  The Junior HC remains Michel Spitznaegel who

continues to be a good friend.

I am not sure what the SAFV has in mind for me – but whatever role it is should be another awesome experience.  Another adventure is on the horizon I am sure.

 

I really didn’t know any of the Senior coaches – but they certainly were welcoming and also great to be around for the three day session.

They were well prepared and did a good job of drilling the team and preparing them for future efforts.  I enjoyed being able to

watch each coach work with his group of

players.

We had some interesting conversations and I went away after the camp wishing that I had more time to visit with all of the coaches.  They are all knowledgeable and interested in the game of football.  I learned a great deal about how the game is  played overseas and Switzerland in particular.

 

After working with the Junior National team in the European

championships two years ago I was able to reunite with several of the players who were at the camp.  I have to say we had a tight knit group who were a lot of fun to be around.

They represented their country well when we played in the Netherlands against Germany and the Dutch Lions.  All of them are Seniors now and it was fun reminiscing with them.

I was impressed with the level of talent that was assembled for the camp.  Obviously the coaches did a very good job of selecting the players who will represent their country.

Watching the flag football team practice was very interesting as I have not really been involved with flag football before.  (I watched my sons play for several years when they were both young – but never really watched a practice.)

I was very impressed with the athleticism of the flag football players.  I hope I will get to watch them play at some point.

There has been some talk of having football in the Olympic Games at some point.  No one has addressed what the game will look like – flag, arena like, seven man or eleven man.

Right now it seems like the best bet might be utilizing flag football.  With the pressure due to injuries and the concussion issue it might make more sense pursuing the flag football platform.

Following the three day sessions it was time for me to get back on the road to Lucerne and then head to the airport in Milan, Italy.

                              

 

 

 

 

Our next stop on the our run through Switzerland was the well kept city of Fribourg.  Many things I have  read about this pretty city describes it as “medieval”….although I had a fairly good idea what the word means but I looked it up anyway.

“Medieval” is a word that means archaic, antique, very old, antediluvian (wow -that’s a word), outmoded.  OK, it means that the city is very old.  But, this very old city is just a beautiful stop that you have to see when visiting Switzerland.

Well, I guess if the city originated in 1157 it is old, archaic, antique – “medieval”.   But it does not take away from the sense of history and the beauty of Fribourg.

This was my second visit to the city.  Two years ago I watched the Fribourg Cardinals (believe it or not their colors are BLUE and white!!??) American Football Team practice.

My friend Chris Krattiger (former General Manager of the National Teams of Switzerland) and his wonderful family brought me to Fribourg to spend a fantastic day touring, eating and then watching a very well run football practice of the Fribourg Cardinals.

I spent a few hours with the coach and president of the Cardinals – Franck Meatchi.  He explained the nature of his team and the city of Fribourg and their embracing of American football.

We also spent some time with a local reporter who put together an excellent article about the entire operation and my visit.  (Unfortunately it was in French – and I don’t know what it said!)

I was tremendously impressed with how Franck ran the practice.  It was extremely well organized and the players knew what to do – actually coaching each other at different times.  I loved it!

After this fantastic experience two years ago I knew that the boss (wife) would be happy to visit Fribourg.  Later I knew she enjoyed this stop on our criss – crossing of Switzerland.

Again we boarded the ever punctual Schweizerisch Bundesbahnen (SBB) train system.  Another on-time boarding – a fast 32 minute ride from Bern (which we made a home base for three days) to Fribourg.  Yes we arrived exactly on time!

As we rode up to the city I could see several areas that I recognized from my visit years before.  They can call this city old, medieval or whatever….it is just spectacular.

We wandered around for awhile and had an early lunch (well I had an awesome ice-cream sundae and my wife ate a really nice minestrone soup. )  Our waiter was really a great young man.

Obviously it was apparent we were from the states and this young guy spent a great deal of time with us.  He was going to visit New York City for an extended period later in the fall.  We exchanged points of view and learned a little more about Switzerland and Fribourg in particular – I’d like to think we gave him a few positive impressions of the US.

This western Swiss city borders the German and French sections of the country.  Fribourg was built along a major waterway – the Sarine River – a long time ago….1157.  Obviously the original population was a lot less than the 38,000 or so who live here now.

 

Cathedral of St. Nicholas

One of the most beautiful and well kept churches in Switzerland – the Cathedral of St. Nicholas is located in Fribourg.  The church was started In 1283 (!!!) and completed in 1430 (Think about Columbus sailing to the Americas in relationship to when this Cathedral was finished!).

The Cathedral of St. Nicholas is built in the middle of the “Old City” and is truly astounding to behold.  The stain glass windows are really unbelievable.

 

Warning!

Wondering through the “Old City” requires some leg strength.  It is a pretty steep climb.  But as I learned a few years ago with the Krattiger family – well worth the exercise.

With one more stop on our schedule – Interlaken – we went back to the train station to return to Bern and grab some dinner.

 

Next the boss (wife) and I boarded a train to the capitol city of Switzerland – Bern.  Another beautiful place to visit in my second homeland.  Home of the “Barengraben” and “BarenPark” (Bear Pit) located along the river in “Old Town”.

The Aare river sort of loops around the city – and Bern is  on a sort of peninsula with “Old Town” located along the banks  of the river at the tip of that land area.

The Bear is represented on the city of Bern’s coat of arms and is the  symbol for the entire canton of Bern.  Therefore visiting this site of the Bear Park is of particular interest to tourists.

Since it was already October – in an unseasonably warm fall – it was nice to be able to see the bears wandering around their compound.  Normally, they would either be in hibernation or not as visible as they were during our visit.

The stroll to “Old Town” is another fantastic view as you wander down from the heights of the newer section of the capitol city.  With shops and flowers everywhere this is a very worthwhile trek.  I have to warn you the walk back up will wear you out.

Bern is the home of the Parliament and serves as the lead city in Switzerland.   Tracing its origins back to the 12th and 13th centuries the city itself is the fifth largest in the country with a population of about 142,000 people (For perspective – Allentown, Pennsylvania is a little less than 120,000).

It is a mostly German speaking region – but for those of us English speaking only visitors – most everyone is going to speak English.  It still amazes me the command of various languages that many people in Switzerland have.

Several of my friends speak three and four languages and  slip between them to allow a person like me to follow the conversations that are going on around me.

Every time I think that we have found the perfect spot in Switzerland you step into another beautiful view of this very picturesque land.  I guess I am beginning to realize that you cannot go wrong – the entire region is just a slideshow of incredible sights.

It still amazes me a simple invitation by the Swiss national team thru my friends Giorgio Volpi and Christian Krattiger kicked off this amazing journey for me.

I always knew that football was a major part of my life – but it has literally led me around  the world.

Next we will hit another great city – the town of Friborg!

Following our visit to Lucerne and the conclusion of the “Growth of a Game” football camp the boss (wife) and I decided to go to Zurich to spend a day.  I had visited the city briefly during my first visit to Switzerland two years ago and was looking forward to actually spending some time there.

We hopped on one of. the ever efficient Schweizerisch Bundesbahnen (SBB) trains in Lucerne and got into Zurich after about an  hour ride.  (The boss [wife] and I got smart in Lucerne and purchased half price travel passes for the remainder of our travels – and it really paid off!)

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and is located in the German speaking canton of Zurich in the north central part of the country.  It is a city with around 400,000 people – but more than a million in the surrounding areas.

Obviously Switzerland and in particular Zurich is known for it’s ties to banking and finances.  I was hoping to arrange for a numbered Swiss bank account – but for some reason I look to suspicious for them!  I was thinking – James Bond.  Even my banker friend Fulgenzio (what a great Swiss Italian name) could not promise me a pathway to a numbered account.  what to do with all that cash??

Many travel journals rank Zurich as one of the best places to live in the world because of it’s international appeal.  With many overseas companies based there due to the low tax rates it truly has an international flare to the culture.

There is no doubt that it is a vibrant and attractive place to visit.

After getting off the train we found out our hotel was right down the street.   – oops our GPS got us lost again had us wandering all over the place.  45 minutes we lucked out and found the hotel.

Seriously it literally was 5 minutes from the train station.  But, we were lead the wrong way by my phone…. the boss (wife) her phone simply stopped working.

How in the world does this happen?

Our first task upon getting into our room was to find a place to eat.  Wow – fantastic restaurant with amazing Italian foot right down the street.  The pasta in Switzerland is simply fantastic  (I can’t wait to visit Italy in the next year or so to find out what the food is like there).  Italy is on our list for the next trip – just have to find a football team there to visit with.

We jumped on a boat and traveled down the river and into Lake Zurich to see the sights.  A truly amazing place to visit.  Oh – to this point I probably haven’t mentioned the chocolate.  One word – “Unbelievable!”  You can say the same about the soft pretzels.

One amazing point to bring up is the bus system and trams that run throughout this exciting city.  We watched how everything worked…but were afraid to jump on either.  The boss (wife) is much more adventurous, but my fear was that we would end up lost and trapped forever as homeless people in a different country (Switzerland not so bad a place to be stranded!)

After the relative calm of Lucerne the hustle and bustle of Zurich was apparent.  Obviously being the largest city in Switzerland it has a different feel to it.  Well worth the day we spent there.  By the way a great place to shop for those interested in that form of fun.

Personally I like the restaurants and bars!  Imagine that.

We decided that our next stop on our trip would be the city of Bern.  We would get moving the next morning to visit the capital of Switzerland.

We enter into the final week of the 2018 season knowing  that we have been successful beyond many peoples’ ideas.  Few envisioned the Hounds standing where we do right now.

Much of that is do to your make up – your “Lagniappe”

You are all an amazing group of people – from the coaches, trainers, Special Forces, touchdown makers, defenders, equipment men, blockers, parents, friends, guardians, brothers and sisters.  You have worked to be excellent  on a daily basis.

In other words everyone of you have been giving “Lagniappe” at all times.  Always giving that little extra, the needed pat on the back, the word or encouragement – yes you are the fabric of the Greyhound TEAM.

I salute all of you and thank you for making this 2018 season such a fantastic experience.

******

This is a look at Muhlenberg for our final game of the season…but, more importantly a thought about our fantastic Seniors as they approach the last game they will play in as a Hound.

A salute to the Seniors and a big thank you for who you are.  TO THE SENIORS!

Muhlenberg is a fine football team that is loaded with good players at most positions.  But, the Hounds also have very good players – we are a team that is continuing to improve.

Our seniors have seen to that thru their leadership and ability to set examples of greatness each day!

I have watched our team and the individuals on it literally get better each day – on and off the field.  One of the most gratifying aspects of coaching is seeing the techniques, ideas and lessons that you present transform into action on the field.

Our seniors epitomize that….paving the way for younger members of our team to improve through their guidance and thru the standards that they set.

There is nothing like seeing a team work together day in and day out to achieve a common goal.  There are times you don’t achieve that objective – but that is the “real” world.

It doesn’t always go the way we want it to – the ending isn’t always what we planned.  But, it is the resilience we develop and the persistence that we have that makes for great teams.

What I have seen with the 2018 Hounds to this point is just that.  A commitment to “on going skill development,”  the chase of excellence and the bond of a brotherhood.

Again, here I give credit to our senior class.  Those guys are truly amazing young men.  They have all performed to their capabilities – all given much more than just attending practice to work.  They all came to become better and to contribute to the strength and success of the team.

I salute each of them and know that among them there will be great leaders and pioneers in whatever they decide to do after they leave school.  Their teammates are all better young men because of the seniors on the team.  I am a better person because of them!

HERE IS TO THIS FANTASTIC GROUP OF SENIORS…..THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU ARE!

Here is a quick look at Muhlenberg:

MUHLENBERG COLLEGE

2018 RECORD AND SEASON : 8-1

Muhlenberg 14 – Dickinson 3

1. Big defensive effort limiting Dickinson to 148 total yards with just 39 rushing.Following a first quarter FG Dickinson never threatened again.
2. Frankie Feaster (6) had two sacks and Jack Fitzsimmons (40), Mickey Kober (41) and Kwasi Ampomah (8) all had standout games for the Mules.
3. Nick Sirico (27) had a big third down interception in the fourth quarter.
4. Offensively sophomore QB Michael Hnatkowski (18) threw for 199 yards on 15 of 32 passes and James Diggs (20) ran for 82 yards.

Muhlenberg 37 – Susquehanna 34 (Overtime)

1. Todd Spirt kicked a 37 yard FG lifting Muhlenberg to 2-0.
2. Muhlenberg opened up a 34-13 lead into the third quarter but Susquehanna reeled off 21 straight points to force overtime.
3. James Diggs (20) rushed for 82 yards for the second straight week and he scored a pair of TD’s.
4. Sophomore Nick Sirico (27) had an interception for the second straight week.
5. Max Kirin (89) caught six passes for 116 yards as did Nick Ugarte (86).

Muhlenberg 62 – Juniata 7

1. Muhlenberg moved to 3-0 with a high scoring game on Homecoming. The Mule offense was clicking on all cylinders as they gained over 500 yards in total offense.
2. Michael Hnatkowski (18) threw four TD passes by completing 23 of 27 passes for 278 yards in basically one half of the game.
3. The stout Muhlenberg defense held Juniata to just 127 yards (only 29 yards rushing).
4. James Dixon (20) again paced the Mule rushers gaining 79 yards and one TD. Both Nick Ugarte (86) and Max Kirin (89) caught two TD passes.
5. Jack Lavache (52) had a pair of sacks and Muhlenberg also had three interceptions – Mikey Kober (41), Kwasi Ampomah (8) and Owen Daddona (14) each had one.Daddona’s (14) for a TD.

Muhlenberg 42 – Franklin and Marshall 21

1. Muhlenberg never trailed in the game…..jumping to a 21-7 lead at the half and then expanding that to a 42-14 lead over #24 ranked Franklin and Marshall by the end of the third quarter.
2. The Mules overpowered F&M behind the running of James Diggs (20) – 110 yards rushing and the arm of Michael Hnatkowski (18) – 271 yards passing.
3. Frankie Feaster (6) recorded two sacks on the first three plays of the game and the Mules had four interceptions along the way as they shut off the Franklin and Marshall offense.
4. It was the second straight week that Hnatkowski (18) threw for four TD’s.

Muhlenberg 34 – Ursinus 14

1. Undefeated (5-0) Muhlenberg defended their #24 ranking with a big win on the road at Ursinus.
2. Muhlenberg rolled up more than 600 yards in offense with James Diggs (20) rushing for 163 yards and Mark Riggio (38) adding 155 yards as well. Michael Hnatkowski (18) threw three TD passes and was 19-31 for 244 yards.
3. Muhlenberg again was overpowering on defense. The Ursinus running game – which entered the contest averaging almost 200 yards per game – was held to just 21 yards on 26 attempts.
4. Frankie Feaster (6) had another productive game for the Mule defense recording 2 ½ sacks.
5. Max Kirin (89) had four catches for 69 yards and a pair of TD’s for the Mules.

Muhlenberg 34 – Thomas More 31

1. Todd Spirt (98) kicked a 20 yard FG as the clock expired to lead Muhlenberg to the hin over host Thomas More.
2. On a big offensive day (850 yards of combined offene) Michael Hnatkowsky (18) passed for 386 yards and a pair of TD’s.
3. Ryan Curtiss (11) had eight catches on the afternoon for150 yards and one score.
4. Although the generally very strong Muhlenberg defense allowed 125 yards rushing they were able to curtail Hjavier Pitts – allowing just 70 yards to one of the top rushers in Division III.

Muhlenberg 42 – McDaniel 18

1. 20^thranked Muhlenberg ran their winning streak to 7-0 with a win over visiting McDaniel 42-18.
2. Defensively the Mules intercepted three passes – Freshman John Washington (23) picked one off for a 39 yard TD – Junior Joseph O’Hagan (3) and Nick Sirico (27) added one each.
3. The Muhlenberg offense continued to operate on all cylinders as Michael Hnatkowsky (18) passed for three more TD’s and had 250 yards thru the air.
4. The Centennial Conference leading rusher sophomore James Diggs (20) ran for 68 yards and his backup Mark Riggio (38) scored a pair of TD’s. 

Johns Hopkins 27 – Muhlenberg 16

1. Johns Hopkins knocked off previously undefeated visiting Muhlenberg 27-16.
2. The Muhlenberg (7-1) defense slowed the Blue Jay offense down, but could not completely shut off one of the top teams in the country.
3. Junior Frankie Feaster (6) had a very productive day from his defensive end position. He had three sacks and had two other plays that were TFL as well.
4. The Michael Hnatkowsky (18) to Max Kerin (89) connection was operating at full tilt with Kerin catching 12 passes for 132 yards. (Hnatkowski passed for 287 yards).
5. Hopkins (7-1) limited the CC’s top runner James Diggs (20) to just 33 yards on ten carries. 

Muhlenberg 49 – Gettysburg 0

1. The Mules got back on track with a big win over visiting Gettysburg College.
2. Following last week’s loss to Johns Hopkins Muhlenberg (8-1) rode the arm of Michael Hnatkowski (18) once again. The sophomore threw four more TD passes bringing his total to 23 with just six interceptions on the year.
3. Frankie Feaster (6) continues to be a dominating player for the Mules defense as he had 1 ½ sacks and also intercepted a pass. Senior Nate Corvil (5) returned an interception for 26 yards.

 

2017 RECORD: 8-3

COACH:  Nate Milne (Hobart ‘03), 1st season

OFFENSE: (6 Returning Starters)

Quarterbacks: 

Michael Hnatkowski, Soph. 6-1, 204             2091 PASSING YDS 20TD, 61.3%

Receivers:

Josiah Lawrence-Wright, Sr. 5-7, 154            34 REC – 575 YDS 5 TD

Max Kirin, Jr.  5-10, 185                                  47 REC – 504 YDS  7 TD

Ryan Curtis (TE), Jr. 6-1, 236                          39 REC – 509 YDS 6 TD.  ALL CC

Runners:

NONE

Offensive Line:

LT – Kyle Oprisko, Sr. 6-2, 266                        22 Career starts, All CC

RT – Ryan Malarkey, Jr. 6-1, 293

DEFENSE: (6 Returning Starters)

Defensive Line

NT – Frank Cresta, Jr. 6-2,2 49

Linebackers

OLB – Kwasi Ampomah, Jr. 6-0, 293             8.5 Sacks, 10 TFK, 1^stteam All CC

ILB –  Mickey Kober, Jr.  6-1, 210                    2 INT, 3.5 TFL

Secondary

CB – Nate Corvil,Sr. 5-11, 170                                    6 INT, 6 PBU, 1^stteam ALL CC

CB – Michael Blank, 6-0, 198                        2 INT, 5 PBU

S – Luke Wiley, 6-0, 190

Special Teams (2)

P – Joseph O’Hagan, 5-9, 195                         47 P – 35.8 AVG. 20 – Inside 20, HM All CC

PK – Todd Spirt, Jr. 4 FG, 25 XP

The Mules are a very good football team and a worthy opponent to close out our 2018 season.

Let’s have a little “Lagniappe” this Saturday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The boss (wife) and I (servant) arrived in the Lucerne train station and wheeled our bags about a half mile to the downtown Ibis Budget Hotel.  Easy walk although we did get lost along the way.  (Our GPS skills were sorely tested several times during our tour of Switzerland.)

***I think our phones decided that we were still in the USA and chose to make life difficult when it came to finding our way around***

As we checked into the hotel we met Travis Brody who is the founder and CEO of “The Growth of a Game.”  This is the organization that is putting together the football skills camp that I will be taking part in at the practice facility of the Lucerne Lions.

We chatted briefly and would try to get together either later in the afternoon or the evening.  I was certainly hoping we could get together since I really had no idea how the camp was to be operated.

Well, the rooms – while economical – were pretty small.  But, then again – European and American standards are certainly different (I guess being the ugly Americans we need bigger and grander things).  But, even though the room was small – really just how much time were we going to spend in there anyway?

We decided to walk around a little and grab something to eat.  I had a pretty good idea of the layout of the city since I had been there twice already.  There are a lot of beautiful buildings that are very old.

A city of about 80,000 people Lucerne is located in central Switzerland it is in the German speaking part of the country.    In a land of wonderful sights this city certainly stands out.

It is located on Lake Lucerne with the Reuss River flowing through it.  The Swiss Alps ring the area and it has tremendous views from every spot in the city.  There are some really beautiful spots to take in….the Boss (wife) and I did our best to catch most of them.

There is an ancient bridge – Kapellbrucke – or the Chapel Bridge that is the longest covered bridge in Europe.  It is a wooden bridge that was originally built in 1333 – although most of it was replaced and rebuilt after a fire in 1993.

Just imagine our country became a nation in 1776.  This bridge is more than 400 years older than our country!    We wandered across it a few times as at different stages of our two visits to the city.

As you cross over on the bridge, which is immaculately kept by the way, there are paintings at several intervals on the cross bars and walls.  Flowers are growing along the outside of the bridge in planters for the entire length on either side.  Truly a fantastic site.

There is an octagonal shaped Tower towards one end that was used as a fortification back in the 1300’s.  Obviously the bridge with its Tower is one of the more famous landmarks in Lucerne.

It is certainly one of the more noteworthy memories I have of the entire trip.  I can’t imagine what this looked like back in the 1300’s when it was constructed.  Really, how in the world would you build such structures at that point in the world’s history.

Lucerne has a fantastic riverfront restaurant area that is always crowded and has many different styles of cuisine (college word) – you can sit along the river at tables or, in the restaurants themselves.  The weather was in the 70’s (unseasonably warm for that time of year) so, the outdoor table were all crowded.

We did find a fantastic Italian restaurant with excellent pasta and pizza.  (It was so good we actually ate there at three different times – twice when we returned for our last leg of our journey).  I have to say we did eat a lot of pasta – it was very good at each place we tried.

 

 

 

 

 

Well….the real reason we started on our journey was for me to help out at “The Growth of a Game” football skills camp.  The main coach for the “TGOAG” is Spencer Wood.

Spencer had helped a group I belong to “Sound Mind Sound Body Europe” run a camp in Tenero, Switzerland back in August.  So, I told him that I would return

the favor by helping his group in Lucerne. (Good excuse to visit Switzerland again!)

Saturday morning we kicked off the camp – fantastic group of coaches and a very good sized group of players (probably around 125 or so.). This was going to prove to be a lot of fun.

All camps are hectic – and you always have to be adjustable when you are working at them.  Half the time you have enough players in your group, the other half of the time you don’t have enough.

Fortunately in this camp, each group had enough players and things were off to a pretty good start.

As I said the coaches were all outstanding.  I was able to reunite with old friends Giorgio Volpi and Fulgenzio Jorio my cohorts from “Sound Mind Sound Body Europe” and we had a good time as usual.  They are really great coaches and are great communicators.

Another friend Rick Benneditto (from our Swiss National coaching staff) was kind enough to coach with us.  He is a fantastic man and a great coach.

Finally met Delmus Pinkston who was everything advertised as a man and

coach.  He dragged along another old friend Leon to work with us as well.  Between these two awesome guys we were able to get a lot done with the offensive and defensive lines.

Delmus’ wife Nadine took my boss (wife) on a full day journey visiting the sights of Lucerne and up Mount Rigi non the rack railway…..that is a very steep grade with unbelievable views.  What a fantastic gesture!

So lucky to have been with this group!

Travis Brody runs an outstanding camp and the players really get a lot of work done.  What a great idea “The Growth of a Game” is.  Promoting American football throughout Europe (and for the first time in Switzerland)

I was lucky enough to have time for a short visit with a man who I have tremendous respect for – Claudio Spescha.  Claudio just retired from playing football for the Lucerne Lions.  He is a big member of the SAFV (Swiss football federation) and the driver behind the Lucerne Lions.

Claudio  sacrificed his time and showed me around Lucerne when I visited Switzerland the first time.  He is just starting his family and is a great person to know in Switzerland.

Wow…quite an experience for the second luckiest man in the world (ever) – work in football, make new friends, visit with the nicest people in the world in their beautiful country!

More to come!

The boss (wife) and I had an exciting visit to the beautiful country of Switzerland as I pursue my interests as the International Ambassador of Football.  This visit took us through the breathtaking views found throughout the country.

As I attended a player football camp at Lucerne sponsored by “The Growth of a Game” and the National football camp held for the Senior, Junior and Flag football teams in Willisau my boss (wife) and I were able to visit several cities.

We landed in Milan (that is Italy by the way) on a rainy Thursday around noon and after a quick trip north into Switzerland we stayed in the Federale Hotel in Lugano.  Although it sounds like the hotel could be in the American southwest it is located  on the edge of the historical old part of the city of Lugano.

.Although it would only be a brief visit to the picturesque Lugano it is one of my favorite places in Switzerland. I am acquainted with it through my friends the Volpi family along with others including Fulgenzio Jorio.

It was unfortunate that the boss (wife) did not get to explore this lakeside city in the Italian speaking canton of Ticino.  But, I know at some time we will be back there again.

(Lugano is located in the southern part of Switzerland in the predominantly Italian speaking speaking canton of Ticino).

We had a quick dinner and visit with our friends – hit the sack and then hopped aboard the train to Lucerne the next morning.

Now, the trains in Switzerland are fantastic.  The rail system is one of the most interesting and efficient modes of transportation you will ever find.

The design allows you to travel pretty much anywhere in the country very quickly.  It includes some awesome tunnels and fantastic views.

Every major city and also the towns along the way have stops.  Obviously the major cities have very large stations with hundreds of connections.  Also at every major station and most minor stops the connection to public transportation – busses, trams and cabs (sometimes boats or airports) is right there within walking distance.

Unlike here in the US…..everything runs on time!  No exaggeration!  They are “on time” not like the “on time” our airlines advertise (regarding the time of a trip, not the actual guarantee on the landing).  The Swiss have it right….when they say a train is going to leave at 10:07 it does….when they say it will drive at 13:34 (Swiss time) it does!  A modern marvel.

I was scheduled to be in Lucerne to meet up with the head of “The Growth of A Game” Travis Brody.  We were going to conduct a “skills” football camp for some 120-150 athletes from throughout the country.  (Interestingly enough this would be my first chance to actually help train members of a women’s team – the Calanda Broncos!)

To say the train trip, which is three and a quarter hours, is pretty is an understatement.  It is truly something worth the visit to Switzerland in itself.  I was looking forward to having the boss (wife) see the views as we sped along in the train.

Given the amazing scenery the trip really speeds by.  you leave Lugano you travel thru parts of Ticino that border Italy.  You then enter a tunnel and are under the mountains for about a half hour or so.  (Apparently the trains can achieve speeds of about 160 miles per hour – but, I am guessing as you go beneath the Alps you aren’t going that fast.)

This tunnel – The Gotthard Base Tunnel is one of the longest rail tunnels in the world and a monument to the ingenuity of the Swiss engineers and architects.  It covers almost 35 1/2 miles underground.

Anyway you enter on one side of the Alps in the canton of Ticino and pop out on the other side next to this beautiful watershed.  You speed around the water and head towards our final destination on this leg of the trip – Lucerne.

 

 

Finally back in the states – unfortunately arrived to the nor’easter and got to stand in the wind and rain in Lancaster watching the Hounds fall to  Franklin and Marshall.  It was a hard and frustrating afternoon.

But, we get back after it and just “do what we do.”  We view the video, fix the mistakes and move on.  That is what you have to do in athletics – if you spend time being frustrated and angry you fall behind in your prep time for the next game.  You simply cannot afford to do that.

When you are a young coach – sometimes it is hard to let go of a particularly painful or large loss (by the way I am old).  Over the years you learn how to let go of the emotional baggage following games.

However that doesn’t mean you forget what happened and review how you coached, how the tempo and attitude of practice was, you look back over your checklists of preparation and how you delegated your time etc.

From the outside you learn many great insights.   People are willing to give you as much advice as they can.  Generally that advice/criticism is given in a high octave peppered with a few expletives.  You learn to be polite, nod your head and move on.

You realize that most of these advisors know much more than you do about who should be in the game, what specific plays to call, and which players actually have attended meetings where they learn the plays. (Yeah…some guys miss meetings – then when they do get in the game they make mistakes that hurt the other 10 guys on the field – so we have to keep them on the sidelines despite their talent level).

While they are working at being doctors, lawyers or cowboys our outside help has been studying game film and working on tackling drills.  So as a coach you just see these distractions as part of your job description.

We also realize that these are their sons, brothers and friends and you can understand their feelings.  In coaching you do “get it” and do care about the troops and their families.  But, there is no way to keep everyone happy and no way to make sure that everyone gets their way.  So you learn to hear what is important and delete the rest of the outside noise.

Anyway…great to be back.

************************I really don’t know the significance of the picture – but it caught my eye….and it is my blog right******************************************

This weekend we will travel to Carlisle, Pa. to play the revitalized Dickinson College Red Devils.  I use the word “revitalized” because this is an up and coming team that has been playing very well despite a 3-5 record.

Dickinson is playing hard under second year coach Brad Fordyce.  Two overtime losses (Washington Lee and Susquehanna) and losses to the top three teams in the CC (Johns Hopkins, Muhlenberg and F&M) have created their five losses.

Statistically they are  similar to us here in Bethlehem.  One big area that has kept us playing in front of may teams is turnover differential.  We stand at +6 which is very good.  In fact it puts us in the top 50 teams in the country.

It also means that our offense continues to do a great job of taking care of the ball and defensively we are tackling hard and getting the ball loose from our opponents.  Obviously this is always an area of emphasis and it is satisfying to see the squad performing on the field the way they are coached.

Dickinson has become a physical team on defense and they are paced by captain James Turner (26) who is a ball hawk from the secondary.  Turner (26) is a tough tackler who is always around the ball and shows great production with a interception return for a TD as well as three sacks.

Johnny Knight (33) leads the team with three  interceptions and secondary mate Matt Butz (27) has recovered a pair of fumbles.  Up front senior John Minicozzi (54) has five sacks from his tackle position. 

Overall the Red Devils are second in the CC allowing under 300 yards per game (183.4 passing yards per game and 114.8 rushing yards per game.  Also, Dickinson stands fifth with 21 sacks in eight games.

Offensively the Devils have gone back to their former starting quarterback Billy Burger (8) a multitalented thrower and punter.  A four year player for Dickinson he has been outstanding at times for our opponent.

He ranks sixth in the  CC with 123 yards passing per game and he is also at the same spot with 10 TD passes.  His backfield mate is sophomore Phillip Butler (2) a downhill and hard running player who has rushed for 543 yards which ranks him at fourth in the conference.

He plays in tandem with a bigger (6-0, 200) back – Jeremy Walsh (9).  Walsh has rushed for 434 yards this season and as a junior has crossed the 1000 yard mark for his career.

Burger (8) was pressed into service with an injury to Robert Geiss (7) in the team’s second game of the season.  Before that game it was expected that Burger (8) would play primarily just as the punter.

He has done a good job punting (38.6) yards per punt with a 74 yarder to his credit.  Unfortunately for the Red Devils he has had four blocked along the way as well.

His favorite receivers are senior Jake Walbert (1), sophomore Christopher Longo (4) and junior Daniel Salmone (21).  Salmone also returns both kicks and punts for Dickinson.

DICKINSON COLLEGE

2018 RECORD: 3-5

 

Washington and Lee 16 – Dickinson 10 (Overtime)

1. James Turner (26) had record setting day statistically for tackles.
2. Dickinson held W&L to 238 yards total offense, but were limited to only 140 themselves.
3. Robert Geiss (7) was 9-18 for 55 yards and Phillip Butler (2) rushed for 62 yards.

Muhlenberg 14 – Dickinson 3

1. Dickinson played very well defensively for the second consecutive week limiting the Mules to 199 yards passing and 129 yards rushing.
2. Billy Burger (8) continues to be one of the most consistent punters in the CC – had three punts of more than 50 yards.
3. After gaining a 3-0 lead at the end of the first period Dickinson was unable to score again as their offense was held to just 39 yards rushing in the game.

Dickinson 30 – Gettysburg 7

1. Billy Burger (8) got his first start of the season at QB and responded with a 22-36 (61.1%) performance throwing 2 TD’s against 1 INT.
2. The Dickinson defense had 4 sacks. They held the usually high powered Gettysburg running game to just 76 yards.
3. Captain James Turner (26) had an interception for a TD.
4. Matt Butz (27) had a interception and a fumble recovery and was in on five solo tackles.

Johns Hopkins 62 – Dickinson 14

1. Billy Burger (8) finished 13-27 for 134 yards and 2 TD’s.
2. Johnny Knight, James Turner and Ethan Warrick had outstanding defensive games notching at least seven tackles each.
3. The Red Devils slumped to 1-3 following the loss.
4. Hopkins outgained Dickinson 507-262 yards.

Susquehanna 30 – Dickinson 24 (Overtime)

1. Susquehanna came from behind to defeat the home team scoring on a 22-yard pass.
2. Burger (8) 10-24 for 114 yards and ran for 84 yards with a 42-yard TD run. He also was effective punting again with a 38.5 yard average.
3. Phillip Butlerrushed 25 times for 152 yards and 1 TD.
4. John Minicozzi (54) totaled 1 and a half sacks for the Red Devils.

Dickinson 27 – McDaniel 20

1. Dickinson pulled out of a two game losing streak with a win over the host Green Terrors….despite allowing 5 sacks on Billy Burger (8).
2. Jeremy Walsh (9) led the rushing attack with 97 yards on 18 attempts. Phillip Butler (2) chipped in 51 yards as well.
3. James Turner (26) continued his outstanding defensive play with 6 tackles. Matt Butz (27) and Johnny Knight (17) added interceptions for the Red Devils.
4. Billy Burger had a very good day [punting with a 42.5 yard average on five punts. He also through for 145 yards (16-30).

 Franklin and Marshall 35 – Dickinson 14

1. Red Devils dropped to 2-7 with a 35-14 loss to Franklin and Marshall in Carlisle.
2. Billy Burger ran for 92 yards and was 18-40 for 205 yards. But he had an interception and lost a fumble through the game. Burger had another solid game as the punter as he averaged 39.5 yards per punt including A 60 yarder.
3. Brian Snow (33) had 11 tackles including 7 solos and 2 tackles for a loss.

Dickinson 47 – Juniata 14

1. John Minicozzi (54) had three sacks and forced two fumbles to lead a strong defensive effort for Dickinson (3-7).
2. Dickinson held host Juniata to minus four yards rushing and a total of 137 yards in total offense.
3. Billy Burger threw for three touchdowns completing 18 of 30 passes for 180 yards.
4. Phillip Butler (2) rushed for 156 yards and 1 TD and Jeremy Walsh (9) added 83 on 18 tries.

2017 RECORD: 3-7

COACH:  Brad Fordyce (Springfield ’97), 2nd season (3-7).

OFFENSE: ( Returning Starters)

Quarterbacks:

1. Robert Geiss(7)                    6-2, 181             55.7% – 965 YDS

Receivers:

1. Christopher Longo (4) 6-2, 194             39 REC – 449  11.5 AVG
2. Daniel Salamone (21) 5-10, 175                44 REC – 333  7.6 AVG
3. Jake Walbert (1) 6-2, 206.                  41 REC – 661 16.1 AVG (2016)

Runners:

1. Jeremy Walsh            (9)                   6-0, 200                  179 ATT – 626 YDS  5TD

Offensive Line:

1. LT Justin Hilliard (64)             6-2, 291
2. LG Marcus Witherspoon (50) 6-2, 262
3. RG Cuba Birnbaum (53) 6-2, 265
4. RT Jack Williamson (78) . 6-4, 275

DEFENSE:(7 Returning Starters)

Defensive Line:

1. NG John Mincozzi (54) 5-10, 286               2 Sacks 84.5 TFL  HM – Cent Conf
2. DT Justin Schettino (51) 5-11, 250
3. DE Thomas Nocka (65) 6-1, 224                 4.5 Sacks

Linebackers:

1. James Turner(26)                   6-0, 220                 13 TFL, 2^ndTeam ALL CC

Secondary

1. Taj DeFrance CB (28) Soph 5-11, 176            2 INT, 2 FR
2. Jordan Hollander(19)            6-0, 185                  2 INT
3. Matt Butz FS  (27)                 6-1, 192                 2 INT

SPECIALISTS

1. Ethan Fusco PK (34) 5-11, 186                1-3 FG, 12-17 XP

 

This will be a tough game with much at stake.  However, when you think about it – which game isn’t important.  Every time the team lines up to play it is significant and the results are crucial to everyone involved.

But, that is what makes competition so great.  It elevates our level of consciousness.  We become more excited, more connected and more aware of everything around us.

In short…this is what makes the game so awesome and it is the reason we spend so much time preparing for play in front of our friends for just a few hours each week.

GO HOUNDS!