On Saturday which is my first full day (third of the [ad]venture) I awake in Daniel’s bachelor pad to find overcast skies and cool damp weather. But, this still beats the very low temps and always hovering snow forecasts of this time in Michigan.
Fortunately, later it clears and we spend the day with mostly sunny but cool to cold temps. But heck we are in the Alps so what do you expect? The beautiful Alps I might add!
That morning we jumped into Daniel’s white Citroen and we whip across Bern to pick up another coach – Matteius before we embark on our trek to Reichenbachwald. He is a brawny, former Thun player who entertains us with stories on our way to practice.
The Citroen that Daniel has is perfect for driving in Switzerland. It is compact (which makes parking it easier), a four speed which is effective in negotiating the city and mountain driving, and surprisingly powerful to give it the pickup needed on the highways and also the strength to climb in the mountains.
So we fight the traffic of weekend skiers on Holiday to the training area about a half hour or so from the city of Thun. We will work with both the junior and senior teams of the Tigers. Reichenbachwald (yeah spell that one) is what appears to be a community built around the largest saw mill I have ever seen and an agricultural base. Yet there is a all weather surfaced “pitch” for athletics located there as well.
We arrive at this beautiful field with a spectacular mountain drop back. Like I
mentioned earlier. These facilities in Switzerland are truly topnotch as the communities and their citizens take their sport seriously.
As you travel through Switzerland you will find the love affair that the country has with sport. This is a small country in Europe and sports fields and complexes dot the countryside everywhere. Honestly the only sports I
haven’t seen represented are baseball and golf!)
As with most athletic complexes in Switzerland soccer will get priority – and of course that will prove to be over all other sports including our football squad. So although the field has been reserved for the Thun Tigers football team the local soccer team infringes on our space as our first practice draws to a close.
Soccer is obviously the sport of choice in Switzerland with ice hockey and basketball also holding professional status – rugby is also in there as well. But, believe it or not American Football is gaining popularity rapidly as it is throughout Europe. (Just check out the website American Football International if you don’t believe me!)
As with most (if not all) European countries everything is run through club affiliations. There are no organized high school or college sports. All team athletics go 
through clubs. So, many times it is incumbent on the player to pay his own way to playing at a club level. (Naturally clubs can “wave” the fee if they want to. But, many simply cannot afford To do this!)
There is a locker and shower facility on the site so an athlete can complete his training or contest and get cleaned up afterword. Seriously the Swiss people really take their recreation and sport seriously. I
predict it will only be another fiver or so years before football springboards into high regard in Switzerland (as well as Europe).
After the first practice we have a pasta lunch at a restaurant ten minutes down the road. Interestingly enough the large area where we all eat is actually a theater where productions are performed and also a stage for live bands. Yup, all in this little picturesque town outside of Bern.
Lunch was great and the coaching camaraderie continues to develop and blossom with all of us.
We engage in technical discussions and also regal each other with stories to see who can share the funniest tales.
Our second practice begins with a warmup that I fear would possibly make some of the players who “starred” at the pasta lunch lose their noodles and bolognese. But, everyone managed to hold it down and we proceeded into a vigorous practice of contact drills.
Personally, I am amazed at how much actual hitting goes on during these long practices. But, Stephan (Tiger Head Coach) assures me that is the way of
Swiss football – and all of Europe as well. He has told me many times that long practices with contact drills are necessary.
With the knowledge that the teams basically only practice three times a week before they play – it is a pattern that they built over the years. Long three hour practices that have to contain hitting.
Imagine how it really is. They are long and bruising practices…..hard enough right. But they are conducted at night 7:30 – 10:00.
Why you ask? Well all of these guys work…they hold jobs or go to school. So the only time they get to practice is at night (rain, snow or cold).
Oh yeah…they hold jobs because they get no salary to play football. In fact…they PAY the club to play the game. So they go through a hard practice…then get up the next morning and go to work bruised and tired.
How long do you think that model would survive in the states? (What was that Dire Straits song….”Your money for nothing and chicks for free!” Yeah dream on!). Yeah, here in the US if you did it that way the first time you corrected a player he would head home and that would be the end of that!
What a great day though! I am continually impressed with the wherewithal of this guys. They play because they love football….they want to be coached and learn. They actually are disappointed in themselves when they make an error.
I have yet to hear an excuse on the field. What an absolute joy to coach these guys. If the players in the USA could see the dedication and work ethic the Europeans (Swiss in particular) have they would be embarrassed.
Well, maybe not…but – I am going to enjoy being the second luckiest man in the world while I can!
