A European Vacation and How It All Started

Now, I have been asked this question so many times that I have an automatic answer. “Hey, so Clemons how in the world did you get associated with football in Switzerland?” My go-to response is – “well, it’s easy … a friend of a friend got me in touch with his friend and voila – I am suddenly part of the football program in Switzerland!”

That is actually really true. I would imagine in many businesses this is how it works. Someone has a spot open and is looking for a particular fit and they seek out help from their associates. Well, why wouldn’t you do that?

***OK – so you know me – I am going to wander around as I tell a story – and this one does require a little slip sliding along.***

But, it actually started at Judy Kowalkowski’s (good Irish name – right??) wine tasting and Italian food extravaganza which she holds every Summer. It is a fantastic gathering of former and current Lion employees and friends of her family. Honestly it is an awesome night!

So, the Kowalkowski name is legendary in Detroit Lion lore. Judy’s husband the late Bob Kowalkowski played guard eleven years with the Lions and one with the Packers. Their son Scott played linebacker on a National Championship team at Notre Dame and then ten years in the NFL (nine with the Lions!)

Judy worked in the front office and probably held every job that the club ever had. Her range of abilities were so wide and varied she could do almost anything – and she did! One of the most valued employees the Lions have ever seen.

But, it doesn’t end there … Judy’s brother David Olivo was a great HS football coach in Missouri. His son Brock was a tremendous football player at Missouri where he held the rushing and scoring records for many years. He also went on to play alongside Scott for several years in Detroit..

A family affair!

So now you can see Judy Kowalkowski is actually an Olivo by birth – married into a Polish family. Therefore the “Kowalkowski wine tasting and Italian Food Fest!”

So, now you kind of get it ….

Anyway, one summer night several years ago I was at Judy’s party visiting with many old Lion friends from the office, Scott and his fantastic wife Michelle, Judy, the Lesnau’s, the Saliba’s and Kimball’s. “Machine Gun” Frank Novak (one of the finest special team’s coaches that ever worked in the NFL) and his wife Suzanne were also there.

Obviously talk turns to football – imagine that??!! We all talk about what is going on and everyone knows that after I left the rat race that is the NFL I started to coach back in PA at Moravian College because my younger boy went there.

Also I am from the Lehigh Valley where Moravian is located (Bethlehem PA). I mentioned to our group as we are drinking beer – yeah imagine that – and wine that I thought it might be pretty cool to coach in Europe.

Well when Brock Olivo retired he went to Italy and got his Master’s Degree there because he is fluent in Italian … He started a team and coached there for several years.

His Dad was going to coach there and suddenly all of these guys are leaning on me and telling me I need to get my ass over there and coach (You know John Grisham’s “Playing For Pizza” …Well “Coaching for Pizza”).

****Aside here – if you haven’t read “Playing For Pizza” you should because … well just because it is very similar to what I am experiencing – but fast forward twenty years into the future!****

So, the night wears on and the guys keep telling me over many more beers that I need to look into coaching in Europe. Well … why not I guess??

On the way home the Boss (Wife) weighs in and tells me that she thinks I should look into it. Yeah OK – She’s trying to get rid of me for a while. I get it (don’t blame her either).

A week or so later I am talking to my compadre in coaching Bert Hill who was coaching the defensive line at SMU in Dallas. I told him that there were people encouraging me to go to Europe to coach football. He laughs and says basically good luck with that BS.

Now, realize aside from being really good pals – Bert and I coached together for ten years – so we have some real common ground (and beers in common as well)!

So some time goes by and I get a call from Bertie. He tells me that he got into a conversation with coach on the SMU staff who not only coached in Europe … but he played there as well. Carlos Barocio-Leon is well connected everywhere and he says … hey wait a minute – I might be able to HELP this Clemons guy out.

I don’t even know Carlos!

****OK sorry another aside here. Carlos is a legend in Europe. He coached and won two “Eurobowl” Championships. His overall record in eight European seasons was 74-16. I don’t care where you are coaching that is pretty damn good. OK he is pretty smart as well. BA and MBA from New Mexico State – where I once coached by the way – and fluent in English, Spanish, French and German. Yeah he carries some weight when he talks. ****

HELP me out …HELP me out??? He lined me up with one of the best opportunities you could want.

Carlos talked with a friend in Switzerland – Giorgio Volpi who was looking for some help with the Swiss National Team as they prepared for the European Playoffs. The next thing I know I get some E-mails from this country located in the Alps!

Giorgio asks if I would be willing to talk with him, Head Coach Michel Spitznagel, Stephan Pulver, and the General Manager Christian Krattiger on a Skype call. Are you shitting me – what do I have to lose. (At that point never been on a Skype call by the way.)

We set up the Skype and like magic I am not only talking to these dudes … but seeing them as well. They are interested in having me come over for a few weeks and help the team and also to travel to Amsterdam with the team to play two games. To this point never been a big travel guy myself … but, it is damn interesting.

Christian Krattiger (GM) and yours truly after defeating The Netherlands in Amsterdam.

As we talk (in English by the way) I inform them that I know no Swiss at all. This elicits laughs all around and Giorgio informs me there is no real “Swiss” language. Pretty much everyone speaks German, French and Italian (Some remote areas speak a form of Latin called Romansh). But, he assures me that English is everywhere and a common thread between the people of Switzerland.

I also told them that driving on the opposite side of the road has no appeal to me. More laughs – I am told the only place they drive on the left are the UK based countries including England, Ireland Australia, New Zealand etc. So to this point they are probably wondering why do we need this uninformed idiot helping us?

But, whatever happened after the meeting the next thing I know I am part of the Swiss National Coaching staff for the under 19 team. (By the way they give me this picture ID which is on a lanyard. You have to wear it everywhere in the stadium. The picture lists me as Ass. Coach. So, to this day my Swiss friends still call me the “Ass” coach.)

Hmmm – rightly so.

So. after a party with friends (Kowalkowski’s et al.) … a friend (Bert) connects me with his friend (Carlos) who mentions me to his friend (Giorgio) who sets up a skype with his friends (Chris and Michel and Stephan).

No real connections but…….

Now, I come to Europe regularly because of those friends and continue to meet hundreds more. Yup, that’s how it started!