Author: bigdaddc@comcast.net

Well yeah I wake relatively early  in the morning (around 5:30 or so).  Get up and  of course the wind is whipping and its raining on and off.  Sure, the day I have to gather up all of my belongings and jam them into my suitcase and carry it down 99 steps – TRUE!  99 STEPS – from Daniels’s bachelor pad to the street.

OK…what the heck the way the wind roars thru here at times it just might clear by the time I plan to leave around 9:00.  (Weather changes just like Michigan.). Anyway I fool around gathering up my goods and trying at least to clean up his otherwise immaculate apartment.  I have to admit I fail miserably at doing a good job of picking up.

However, at least I left him the appropriate piles of things in spots so he can at least pick them up easily.  For instance I leave a pile of dirty linens and towels (I left him an extra towel I borrowed from the last hotel I stayed in), empty beer cans in the sink (but I left him some extra FULL ones in the fridge – fair trade I say),  Replaced the chocolate I ate from his home – of course I sampled some.

Do you know they have chocolate with champagne or liquor in them?  It is quite a surprise to your taste buds when you are expecting something else!  Anyway he made with a gain in candy I hope.

I left him a hooded sweatshirt which kids now a days call “Hoodies”.  They will always be hooded sweatshirts to old guys like me.  I hope Daniel didn’t get the idea I actually liked him – I just did not feel like carrying it!  HAH!

I am not kidding you about the 99 steps by the way…..and they are steep!

Oh yeah also left him some cherry jelly that was awesome on croissants.  I purchased at one of my favorite stores in the world “Coop!”  Really Migros is right in there as well….but Coop sells beer and Migros does not!

But, really all kidding aside.  I was the one who made out here.  What an awesome thing for someone to do.  Loaning me the use of his bachelor pad for almost two weeks.  (Yeah but there was the issue of walking up 99 stairs – or 135 if you went top the garage….thats a lot!  Hah what a life!)

Really I was the one who made out in this whole deal.  I get to meet some more new friends.  Work with football players – become more “worldy” thru some new travels and experiences! 

OK back to the weather – it clears briefly at around 8:30 so I am feeling good about my 9:00 departure.  I carry that suitcase down 99 STEPS to the bottom and out the door.  Lock it behind me – no going back now  because I locked the keys inside like Daniel asked…..

SNOW…yup SNOWING sideways with the wind!  No turning back now.  Shoulder into the wind (oh yeah I am in shorts by the way) with my so called waterproof hood on.

It isn’t a far walk – about 10-15 minutes.  But the wind is howling and whipping that snow into my face.  Then I think to myself…well it is Switzerland right.  Just imagine a guy wearing a Detroit Lions parka dragging a suitcase (thank the man who invented the wheeled suitcase) thru the snow…across a bridge….past the drug addicts on the other side of the bridge (no lie) up the hill to the train station.

Seriously some people did give me the eye as I went into the SBB station to get my train.  This guy covered in snow wearing shorts and dragging a suitcase.  OK maybe I did look gust a bit silly.  OK maybe real silly!

Hopped on the 10:32 to Zurich….an hour or so later….got into the airport hotel and once again the “world was spinning in greased groves” for the second luckiest man in the world!

What a life!

OK -we have had a bit of rain the last few days here at our camp in Oberharmersbach, Germany – don’t hold me to the spelling!  Yet it has remained awesome.  No – Really awesome!! These guys love football!

They practice hard – work to get better each day and truly just enjoy the game and competing with each other.  It is apparent this is fun, yet at the same time it is a hard competition between guys who have a lot of respect for each other.

We stay in this fantastic old hotel where everyone caters to your needs.  These people want to make sure we are happy – part of it is because we are some of the few paying customers during this part of tourist season  I am sure.  But in reality the people around here are just really nice folks.

Oh yeah and there is this great bakery right around the corner.  Trust me is is awesome.  In fact it is so good that the people in the town buy everything before we can get there.  But, using my James Bond moves I was able to infiltrate the lines to the goodies and get some chocolate filled crescents  and a few donuts as well.  I am telling you these things are awesome (for any friends from Konkrete Kid land – think Hellertown Bakery!)

OK – so before practice I am walking to the field (a little more than 10 minutes away). It is a steady downpour and I am trying to snap some pictures to chronicle our stay here in the big “O” (I am not going to keep trying to spell Oberhammersbach – because I am not sure I am spelling it correctly.)

Like I said – taking snap shots for you guys and getting wet as I go.  I keep telling myself the rain will start to let up soon.  So imagine this as my mind spins:

“Here I am 65 years old…I am in Germany and don’t speak the language, its raining pretty hard….last evening on the last night in town most of the team has been drinking and raising hell (they are young men after all!).  Many stayed out till the wee hours of the morning drinking beer etc.  and we have practice in a few minutes….

I am walking over a bridge swollen with water and many of the players,  several of the coaches are still in the hotel lobby…why in the world am I smiling?  Will they even come to practice – will I be the only guy at the field today?  Why am I finding this fun?”

Easy!

It is football and it is fun!  I get to visit with people from all over the world…who cares if you are wet and your shoes are squishing water out of the holes where the laces go?

Who cares if I am several thousand miles from home and pretty much under water.  It doesn’t matter – we are here and well – here comes practice by the way!

Guys show up (coaches too!) … we pretty much get going on time.  Practice is a lot of fun and we accomplish a great deal through the morning (hung over or not).

But this is the way it is done overseas and I am learning.  (Every time I think I should push for more – I realize these guys are paying for everything here in the big “O”). Hard to get on somebody’s ass after he shelled out several hundred dollars (francs, Marks etc) of his own to play ball.

That means that really – they control the show.  Not the coaches.

I love the way we play here in Europe (Switzerland).  There is no formula…yet there is.  No one can really define how things should look in regards to football. – but we will know not when we see “IT.”

Most players we have are really interesting athletes..  Many just need some seasoning and help to improve themselves.  Yet a lot of the coaches are uncomfortable jumping in and coaching – I mean REALLY coaching their guys.

I am not talking about yelling and screaming.  I am talking about coaching, instructing….teaching.  Right now I see a lack of confidence in the coaches – and that is what is holding them back.

But, to me this is not discouraging.  Why?  They are really good coaches!  They just need to see they are.  They know the game…they are truly capable

Why?  Here is why…

They pretty much all played like the guys on the team now.  But, they came through the ranks when there truly was little coaching and a pretty loose understanding of the game.  They figured out they enjoyed playing and decided to give something back to the game – and really their country if you think about it.

Many of the current coaches spend some serious money acquiring manuals on coaching and drill work.  They visit the states to learn because they feel a responsibility to the game.  These coaches are serious.

In my eyes…these guys are the real deal.  This is their hobby, but it is also their passion.  This is truly “giving something back” to the game they really enjoy.  They coach because they love it!

So…my goal as the “Ambassador of football” is to provide anything I possibly can to help the players and the coaches is Switzerland, and all of Europe for that matter. Now, just need to keep getting more coaches from the US interested in helping out.

As I am traveling back from Lucerne to Bern I get a message from John Jordan who lives in Bern. He is the head coach of the Bern U19 football team. Although I had never met him I returned his message informing him that my

phone was on the verge of running out of juice and that I would respond when I got back to Bern and plugged in my phone.

After getting back to Bern and getting my phone issue settled I connected with John and we got together for a few hours later in the afternoon. John was born in Canada and has a PHD in history. He did grad work in Great Britain and again here in Switzerland.

He has been coaching in Switzerland and has also become a referee along the way (Why would you want to do that??). He is a very interesting man and we spent several hours telling stories and talking about football experiences we have had along the way.

Later in the day returned back to the apartment and then went to dinner with the Thun coaches where we had a very good pizza.  Afterward went thru the practice schedule and Stephan gave us his impressions on what we wanted to accomplish at our camp in Oberharmersbach, Germany this upcoming weekend.

We had a nice dinner….got business out of the way and drank some beer. After finishing up our night we felt pretty good about the upcoming camp agreeing that we had a pretty good chance of getting our objectives accomplished.

Thursday was spent preparing for our early departure the next day.  Got some things done shopping wise, read a book and drank some beer – oh yeah worked on some football as well.

Friday came fast and hard with the bus to Germany leaving a rainy Bern 5:30 in the morning. Due to our ambitious schedule (two practices on Friday when we arrived) we had to make the early start.

I have to say I was really excited about our trip for a variety of reasons. But, the biggest being the genuine enthusiasm of the group. The Tigers were eager to play together as a team. That is always a great thing to observe.

After our arrival – we got suited up and went to work on the field. I said this earlier, but it is amazing to see these athletic complexes basically set up in the middle of nowhere. A beautiful synthetic surface set down in this smaller town. Obviously, it was established for soccer teams but it truly suited our needs just fine.

We opened camp with a very spirited practice which showed a great deal of detail in the planning by Stephan our head coach (I am guessing his right-hand man Daniel had something to do with it as well.) One way or the other it was a very well thought out plan and it was obvious that this organization allowed the players to work through the day effortlessly.

I realize that the teams across Europe (and Switzerland is no exception) practice long and there is some strong hitting because they only get three practices per week. But, I literally cringe at some of the hits that are delivered. But, amazingly they help each other up – ask if the opponent is OK, hug and continue on. These guys play hard and do not hesitate to drill each other…. But, yet they still have genuine concern about their teammates.

For as long and hard (hell the warmup is tough) as the practices are there is little or no complaining.  I have watched many practices in Switzerland over the past several years.  They are similar, yet different than our sessions here in the states.

They are structurally the same but obviously longer as I said (and the thud and tag-off tackling concept is just beginning to take hold here).  Often ,most of the time actually, the only lines on the field correspond to soccer.  Rarely are there any goal posts for practice areas.

But, it is amazing how quickly you forget about this and just practice.  I mean as an American you study the field beforehand and wonder how this is going to work.  But it does!  It’s like when you were growing up and got together to play in a field…there weren’t any markings – you just figure it out.

That is exact.y what happens here.  The Swiss have figured it out.  If you want to play ball – you play ball.  I love it!

You should see the hotel by the way.  The owners have five separate hotels all gathered around each other along with the obligatory restaurants and beer gardens.  Obviously this isn’t tourist season – so in this sprawling complex that is compressed around a narrow thoroughfare – it is not bustling right now.  (And by the way the drivers really go through these narrow streets very fast.  Unlike Switzerland it is the pedestrian traffic that has to avoid the cars!)

As you can expect the days begin to run together as you spend time away from home. Sometimes you also fall behind in your writing. Perhaps that is why some people are writers…and others like me are just guys who are truly amateurs. (It takes discipline – something I have always lacked!)

Well on Tuesday the Tigers did not have any practice scheduled so I hopped on a train and zipped over to Lucerne (about an hour away). This was on the invite of my friend Claudio of the Lucerne Lions. Lucerne is a beautiful city (seems like I say that about everywhere in Switzerland) and looked forward to visiting this beautiful spot again.

After the usual picturesque journey I was met by Claudio at the train station. As it turns out this is the final day of “Carnival” in Lucerne. I think it is similar to ”Fat Tuesday” in New Orleans (or even Paczki Tuesday in Michigan for that matter).

If I have my information right this is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (The beginning of Lent??). After a crazy week of merriment and indulgence the crowds settle down for one final great effort.

So, people stuff themselves, drink to excess, generally enjoy themselves – and have an excuse to have one heck of a final party. Trust me from the little I saw with people dressed up, bands marching, people partying Lucerne sure knows how to get it done right!

But, my (ad)venture was to visit with the Claudio and the new Lion head coach – Sebastian Fandert – not to become lost in the insanity about to take place. We jumped on a tram and headed towards a part of Lucerne that I hadn’t been to before.

It was a lot of fun to spend time with Claudio who showed me around the Lions practice several years ago. He was a very gracious host then, and he still is today.

Currently he is the manager of the Lucerne Lions and also the owner of Snap Shop which is one of the few sports shops that cater to American Football in all of Switzerland. He is a very busy young man…plus he is a tired guy as well. His wife gave birth to their first child – a son named Nino a few months ago.

Sebastian the coach of the Lions is a very interesting young man to spend time with as well. He has spent several years coaching throughout Europe and currently is also the head coach of the Czech Senior National Team. He is obviously a man of the world – a guy who knows the ins-and-outs of European (American) Football. And, that does take some getting used to!

We spent the afternoon chatting about football in general and about the difficulties of coaching in Europe. In my short time visiting the continent across the sea I can see the frustrations that a coach faces here.

It is hard to find financing, travel, and build a roster in a land where you are facing populations that understand Soccer and basketball a whole lot better than American football which is alien to them. But, what is evident is the commitment that the players who are involved with the game have. They absolutely love playing and competing.

These guys all pay their own money, buy their own equipment, find their way to practice…..and the Senior (+20) guys all have jobs. They work all day long….then they take a train, drive, bus to the field for a two to three hour practice from 8:00 to 10:30 or so. Insane – right?? But, like I said, they truly are committed.

Later – in the early evening I went to practice with Sebastian and my friend Markus who works with the wide receivers. Man, it was cold at practice….But, we are in Switzerland and it is early March after all! The wind gusting through the practice field didn’t help matters much either.

I helped out with the defensive line and they did have a pretty impressive player playing Defensive Tackle. He was big (6-4 or so) and had some quickness to him. I would guess he would be a dominant player within the SAFV.

Overall it was an interesting practice to observe. Being they were short several players (due to “Carnival” I would guess) it was hard to judge the talent level they had. But, they did have several players who were also nursing injuries – this could be a problem if they do not heal soon. The season opens in about four week’s time.

Sebastian also mentioned they opened with the Bern Grizzlies one of the better teams in the A-League. The Grizzlies had brought on a new QB who happens to be an import player. (Most teams that have imports will bring in a QB – usually an American). Apparently, word has gotten around that he is very fast.

Many QB’s who are imports in Europe (Switzerland) are basically runners first and throwers second. The European coaches are looking for dual threat guys because they put so much stress on already taxed defensive teams. They realize that these types of players are great athletes and offer some real options within the offense – funny you say option I guess.

After practice ended I crashed at the apartment that was used by the three import players that the Lions have. It’s always hanging around young guys in their mid-twenties. (I think I was there once??).

It was already after eleven – I crashed in the fourth bedroom that was unused. This was quite a nice pad for the young men. Although it did not have a living room per say – just a large kitchen – wide hallway, four large bedrooms (really large), two bathrooms and a washer / dryer set up. Actually, perfect for young guys whose main objective was to play football and have a good time.

I could hear them coming and going into the early hours of the morning….had to laugh to myself. There was a time when my life was dedicated to raising hell and having a good time as well.

Waking up in the morning I discovered that the “boys” had neglected to shut the door whenever the last rebel had decided to come home (which I placed at around 4:00 AM or so). Yup, there we were – sleeping in a third floor apartment with the door wide open.

After clearing out through the used frying pans, half empty beer bottles, a wine bottle or two and some “science projects” that appeared to have been left on the table for a week or two – I hit the road.

Had a quick bite with Sebastian – hopped on the train and was back in Bern well before noon!

The SAFV is the American football league in Switzerland.  SAFV stands for Schweizerische American Football Verband – so as you can see SAFV (or Sahhhvv) is more convenient than the entire tag.

There are several age levels of play under the umbrella of the SAFV.  Think this way first – there is tackle football and flag football.  Flag football is divided into U13, U16 and Ultimate, Tackle football has a Senior Division (20+ years), Junior U19, Junior U16.  I am not ignoring the women here – I think they can play in the U19’s with the men.  There is one full team of women that I am aware of – the Calanda Broncos.

****I was privileged to work with the Calanda Bronco ladies at the Growth of the Game camp in Lucerne last October.  They have some very good players and I am anxious to follow their progress this season.

Nationalliga A (The National A League) is the premier division of American football in Switzerland.  It consists of six teams with the season running from late March until the end of June.  The playoffs follow with the championship game “Swiss Bowl” as the culminating game.

In the A-League the six teams are the Calanda Broncos, Winterthur Warriors, Basel Gladiators, Lucerne Lions, Geneva Seahawks and the Bern Grizzles.  These teams engage in a home and home series with each member team.  The top four teams qualify for the playoffs and the two finalists play in the “Swiss” Bowl.

The winner of the “Swiss Bowl” then qualifies for the European Football League.  This is a loosely grouped championship of Europe that is extremely difficult to follow for a novice like me.  Actually there seems to be quite a bit of politics involved in my eyes.

There are also six teams in the SAFV LNB (B-league) which include the Thun Tigers, Argovia Pirates, Zurich Renegades, Bienna Jets, LUCAF Owls, and the St. Gallen Bears.

These teams play the same type of home and home series which goes on weekly.  The champion of the B-League will face the worst team in the A-League in a relegation like European soccer does.

The winner of that game will move into the upper division and the loser becomes part of the B-League.  It all proves for a very interesting three months.

There is also a C-League made up of a varying number of teams.  The Fribourg Cardinals, Geneva Whoppers, Lugano Rebels, Midland Bouncers, SFU Phenix, AFC Lumberjacks, Schaffhausen Sharks and the Morges Bandits.  (Note, many of these teams are from the French Cantons due to the lesser population numbers.)

To add to your confusion – each A and B league team has a U-19 team which will play the same schedule as their Senior team.  For example if the Basel Gladiators are playing the Winterthur Warriors in a senior game that means the U-19 Gladiators are facing the Warriors.

(Note some C-League teams do not field the U-19 team and that is why the C-League designation.)

The A and B league teams both will play 10 games with no cross overs.  You stay within your A or B league designation.

The Calanda Broncos have been the most dominating team in the league winning 8 of the last 10 championships.

The Broncos are a very good team and very well coached.  However, anytime a team wins that many games that many times there are other factors.  Calanda has a very strong support base (think finances) which allows them to attract successful foreign players.

Each European league has varying degrees of allowing foreign players on the teams.  Players from countries that play football in high school are designated one way (A) , and players from non high school playing teams are designated in another.

Depending on which league in Europe you play in – the rules allowing the number of players with (A) designation on the field are limited.  In other words your league may allow you to have two (A) players on a roster, but only one might be allowed on the field at one time.

But, your league might not have a limit on foreign players from countries where they do not play football.  (US and Canada, some schools in Mexico are basically the only schools considered (A).

So you might have a solid roster of citizen players accentuated by (A) players and other visiting players.  This is beneficial for your team.

Teams with money and access to players from a foreign  -B-  country (especially if it near the border of Switzerland – Germany or France are the big ones!) have a definite advantage because many of these guys have spent time playing in the states.  Obviously this helps them a alot

This Monday started off looking like it was going to be another pretty day.  Then around 8:00 AM or so the wind started whipping and rain clouds blew in.  It was a good old fashion wind storm with showers popping up throughout most of the day.

Now as we approach the late afternoon and prepare to travel from Bern to Thun for the Juniors (U19 years) practice it looks as if the sun is coming out.  But, that wind is roaring through just the same.

If the wind is similar to this twenty minutes away in Thun it will certainly be a challenge to throw the ball this evening.  I am hoping that Bay Harvey the Junior QB will be there with his parents.  I look forward to reconnecting with them.

Their older sons (twins Robert and William) played on our successful Swiss National team two summers ago when we traveled to the Netherlands to play in the European Championships.  William is currently a student at VMI and Robert is working to get into college and may already have been enrolled.  (I think he might have been accepted at Dartmouth.)

But, I would like to find out from their parents what Robert’s plans are.  Robert was our quarterback for the the team and he certainly has the ability to play in college.  He might not be a scholarship player right now…but with a little more seasoning I think he might be pretty good.

The younger Harvey (Bay) brother is another very good player at QB  and I was wondering if the parents were going to move back to the states to allow Bay to play his last year of high school there like his brothers did.  I would like to see more European players (and Swiss players in particular) come to the states to play.

Ironically the Harveys enrolled their two older sons for a senior season in Michigan – and only a few towns over from ours.  It wan unfortunate that I was down at Moravian College coaching and I didn’t get to see the Harvey’s until their final day in the country – as they were leaving to return to Switzerland.

We had a short but very nice visit where I watched William consume a few hamburgers that I had made on the grill.  The young man could put away those groceries.

There practice with the Juniors was really a great deal of fun for me.  These young players are everything a coach wants.  They want to play the game.  Each one of him gives up his own free time to be part of a team.

They pay their own money….purchase their own gear and find a way to get to practice – which is at 8:00 PM (20:00 Swiss time by the way.).  Dedicated players – so they really do listen when you coach them.

The U19 team has some excellent coaches…all voluntary also.  They do a nice job of working the players hard and also teaching them.  Although they may not have the background or experience these guys run a very organized practice with a lot of work getting done.

We practiced in a building that had several different floors of gymnasiums.  One thing that is impressive about Switzerland is the amount of facilities available to clubs and athletes that allow for group training and different sport emphasis.  Even though there are no school sports an individual with aspirations can become involved with a club and be trained and coached.

One thing I have to say the players do not shy away from contact.  I cringed a few times when ball carriers were taken down to the hard gym surface.  I mentioned it to one of the young coaches…he shrugged and said they are much more toned down than a few years ago.

I guess with only three practices a week they must feel that they need to cram as much into their practice time as they can.  I get it….but with the limited numbers the team has….they are one injury away from having a major problem.

Afterwords the coaches gathered for a nice social session at a local bar.  It was a nice time – getting to know these guys is a great experience for me.  They come from very diverse backgrounds and two basically just finished playing.

How about this – one of the fellows is a doctor.  Yup, a real live MD working on the Thun Tigers.  Well, you might think he has a son on the team…nope, he just does it because he loves football!  Wow!

Tomorrow I am going to jump on a train and head over to visit my friend Claudio in Lucerne.  He is the manager of the Lucerne Lions.  He also runs a sporting goods store of sorts (I think) and I can’t wait to see that operation.

I will also attend the Lions evening practice.  That should be a great deal of fun.  I actually visited with them a few years ago and  Claudio was still playing football.  He has now given it up and he and his wife recently brought a little boy into the world.  I wonder when Nino will start playing football?

Well…Lucerne (fantastic and beautiful city) and football.  What more can a guy want?

The day started off just the opposite of yesterday.  At around 6:45 or so the     sun was up and the room was bright as opposed to the overcast rainy start of yesterday.  I got up and stumbled over a few beer cans (where did they come from??) and snapped a shot from Daniel’s apartment windows.  All I can say is WOW!

Since he is committed to moving from this apartment in November I have to find out a way I can lease it.  What a place to live!  OK…have to find a new weight room…. place to keep my fine tuned body (hah!) in shape.  Also have to get my sponsors (Coors Light) to ship my beer direct to Bern.

I absolutely love this city (country) and the fantastic people who live here.  Have to say that I haven’t spent a bad day here in my many visits.  The people here are always upbeat, always friendly and helpful and so tolerant of bumbling foreigners like me.

Today there is no football for the Thun Tigers…some time off until the practice tomorrow evening for the Juniors (Under-19).  After yesterday’s work there are probably a few guys with sore and aching muscles.  Hell, ai’m sore and all I did was stand around and watch.  It was a long and taxing day for the troops.

I guess I could take a quick train ride over to see some other point I haven’t seen yet…or just wander around “Old City” some more.

Only problem with the walking around part is my knee has been really acting up –  and even with a steady ice treatment with frozen beer cans (one must adapt you know) it still has that “toothache” feel.  Yeah, I know what you are thinking – I am turning into a snowflake.  Can’t handle any stress or pain.

Here is the dilemma about traveling in Switzerland…where do you go?  I think by train from Bern I can get to pretty much any Swiss city in two hours or less.  So – I have seen many cities already.  But not Lausanne, Geneva or Montreaux – all in the “French” cantons.

But, they are just on the edge of going out early doing some touristy stuff and getting back in time for the evening practice with the Tigers.  I guess tonite over a Heineken (My beer of choice in Switzerland) or ten I will formulate some sort of loose plan.

Meanwhile about today.  Daniel and his knockout girlfriend Tamara (It certainly isn’t Tamara and her knockout boyfriend Daniel…sorry Daniel) took me out to brunch.  (Tamara will have to visit an eye doctor soon – if she really wants to see what Daniel looks like  – but then she will be gone so fast his head will be spinning.  He better hope she doesn’t get glasses –  Ah just kidding!). What an awesome pair.

We ventured into “Old City” and a really neat place for our breakfast.  It was really good – please note almost every meal in Switzerland is a gourmet experience.  We had a leisurely dine and then went farther into the beautiful historic part of Bern.

We sat down at the overlook behind the Cathedral and had a beer and coffee (no coffee for me bye the way – I had the other stuff).  Here I told Daniel and Tamara of my misspent youth growing up with my brothers and sister….running around Lehigh Township, the Newport Rats, Hilltop Snakes etc.

They didn’t get much time to talk as I droned on and on boring them about mischiefs I got into.  After nearly putting them to sleep – I took my leave and headed back to Daniel’s bachelor pad.

I really decided to leave after remembering that Tamara’s brother was a police officer in Bern.  Since my photo might not only be on the post office wall – but Interpol as well I thought it  best I got out of there.

Over and over again I say what nice people are in Switzerland – well here is another pair who bring that standard even higher.  What awesome people – no way to repay such open friendliness except to hope that they would visit us in the States to allow me to repay their hospitality!

OK about tomorrow and finding a place to visit…..here is the problem about Switzerland – there is too much to see!

Oh….you doubt me…well check out this info I pulled off the internet!!  Yeah – you figure it out!

Framed by the Aare river, the Swiss capital of Bern lies in the west-central part of the country. Its charming Old City is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and is known for its medieval arcades and many 16th-century fountains that feature painted figures, including the curious “Child Eater Fountain” (Kindlifresserbrunnen). Bern boasts one of the world’s biggest collections of the artist Paul Klee, housed in the Zentrum Paul Klee—designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano.

Bern, capital of Switzerland | © Boris Stroujko/Shutterstock

Guarda

Set 1,650 meters above sea level in the Lower Engadine mountains of the Graubünden canton, Guarda is a tiny remote village whose beautifully painted 17th-century houses have been carefully renovated, earning it the Wakker Prize for preservation of its architectural heritage. The setting of the famous children’s book Schellen-Ursli (1945) by Selina Chönz and Alois Carigiet, Guarda has also preserved traditional customs like the Chalandamarz event in March. The majority of the town’s population still speak Romansch—Switzerland’s fourth official language after German, French, and Italian.

Guarda, Switzerland | © Alberto Masnovo/Shutterstock

Interlaken

As its name suggests, Interlaken is positioned between two lakes—Lake Thun and Lake Brienz—and surrounded by some of Switzerland’s tallest peaks, thus making it a place for stunning views in every direction. It is also the perfect base from which to enjoy the natural splendors of the country, either lakeside or in the many hiking paths that begin at Harder Kulm, a panoramic viewpoint at 1,322 meters that is accessible by funicular. Since Interlaken lies in the heart of the Bernese Oberland, the big peaks of the region—Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau—are also accessible for a closer look via the trains of the Alpine railways.

Interlaken, Switzerland | © Boris Stroujko/Shutterstock

Lucerne

Located in central Switzerland, Lucerne is a picturesque ancient city on Lake Lucerne best enjoyed on foot, where you can stroll along prettily painted historic houses such as those in the central Weinmarkt Square. There are also a number of notable medieval landmarks like the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), one of Europe’s oldest covered bridges, or Musegg Wall, an intact part of the city’s rampart walls built in 1386. Yet, the city does also have a modern side, exemplified by the architecturally impressive KKL (Culture and Convention Center) designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, and breathtaking Alpine terrain remains easily accessible by cableways up to the Pilatus, Rigi, or Stanserhorn mountains.

Lucerne, Switzerland | © Mariia Golovianko/Shutterstock

Montreux

Montreux is a lovely resort situated on a long expanse of Lake Geneva in the French-speaking south-west part of the country. The quays of Montreux offer miles of lakeside strolling, surrounded by exotic flowers and trees and framed by beautiful views of the Alps in the background. The town also boasts a 13th-century castle—Château de Chillon—that looks out onto the lake. The castle, which was originally built by the House of Savoy, has inspired literary works by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Lord Byron. The cultural events are equally impressive, as the town hosts the Montreux Jazz Festival in early July—the second largest annual jazz festival in the world.

Montreux, Switzerland | © kaband/Shutterstock

Morcote

A ferry trip away from Lugano, Morcote is the prettiest village along Lake Lugano’s shoreline. The tiny former fishing village is set into a hillside that offers charming alleys to explore as well as lovely vistas of the lake, with the bell tower of its historic Santa Maria del Sasso Church towering over the houses below. The ambience reflects its location in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, and its Parco Scherrer offers an exotic assortment of Mediterranean and Asian flora and architectural touches like Greek sculptures, an Egyptian temple, and even a Siamese tea house, not to mention panoramic views.

Morcote, Switzerland | © Boris-B/Shutterstock

Soglio

Located in the southern canton of Graubünden, where German, Romansh, and Italian are all spoken, Soglio is a beautiful little village tucked up in the mountains. It features charming cobblestone streets and the landmark Church of St. Lorenzo looming over the village, while its historic hotel, Palazzo Salis, exudes a true Mediterranean feel with its magnificent rose garden and towering sequoia trees. The village’s highlight is the Via Panoramica, a path that travels through a romantic landscape of vibrant wildflowers for which the area is known.

Soglio, Switzerland | © Nagib/Shutterstock

Stein am Rhein

Just what one imagines when conjuring an idea of the perfectly quaint Swiss village, Stein am Rhein’s pedestrian center is a dense collection of well-preserved medieval structures, many of them with exquisitely painted colorful facades. Nicknamed the “Jewel on the Untersee,” situated at the point where Lake Constance becomes the Rhine river in the eastern canton of Schaffhausen, Stein am Rhein boasts a medieval hilltop castle (Hohenklingen Castle) with a bird’s-eye view of the walled town below and a former Benedictine abbey (St. George) founded in the 11th century.

Stein am Rhein, Switzerland | © Victor FlowerFly/Shutterstock

Wengen

A postcard-perfect mountain village accessible only by train, Wengen is situated on a protected sunny terrace near some of the tallest peaks in the country. The village itself is home to a number of timber houses, chalets, and belle-époque hotels, making for an idyllic base from which to explore the surrounding mountains. Visitors can venture out along one of the many walking trails or take one of the cableways leading to panoramic viewpoints. For the more adventurous, thrilling sports like paragliding and river rafting can also be sought out.

Wengen, Switzerland | © Boris-B/Shutterstock

Zermatt

The car-free resort town of Zermatt is the highest in Europe, guaranteeing a long ski season, including year-round skiing on Zermatt’s glacier. The town lies at the base of the famous Matterhorn, where lifts ascend 3,883 meters to reveal expansive Alpine views. In addition to a charming town center, Zermatt is also quite the hot culinary destination, with two restaurants being awarded Michelin stars in 2015—Ristorante Capri in the Mont Cervin Palace, run by chef Salvatore Elefante, and chef Ivo Adam’s After Seven at the Backstage Hotel. In 2015, the Matterhorn celebrated the 150-year anniversary of the first ascent to the summit in 1865, with the town hosting a number of special events.

Claudio invite / texts from others / Elaine visit

Junior U19,  Senior U20 (Pay to play)

How the SAFV is aligned

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!

Well….we begin our descent into the Swiss territory and what I am sure what will be a long day will begin with my friend Daniel picking me up at the Zurich airport after I clear customs.  Going into a foreign country is always an unknown for me.

Just as entering different airports in the US and going thru security varies from city to city  – it seems that is also true of customs clearance in various places.  I have only done these international visits six or seven times and each one seems to be just varied enough to throw you a little off balance.

It’s funny even though you know that you have done nothing wrong you still have that feeling that something will get screwed up.  I know it is irrational, but none-the-less it is the feeling I get whenever I am on foreign soil.

Well despite the petty apprehensions we will soon be on the ground and my new (ad)venture will take off.  It will be pretty interesting because I am not quite sure how I am getting around other than Daniel picking me up to start things off.

Apparently, Daniel is lending me his apartment in Bern.  This is a city where I spent a few wonderful days during my October visit to Switzerland.  But, I am not really well acquainted with the city and getting around might be an issue. But…what the heck this is to be a little bit about exploring as well.

I do feel guilty about using Daniel’s apartment even though he did offer it. I hate to disrupt his schedule since I am sure that he will be working while I am there.  I know that I am coming to Switzerland to help the Tigers and they want to be very welcoming to me, but my idea is to not cost them very much money and also not to mash up their lives during my ten-day stay.

Anyway, we are about to begin starting with the busy first two days of Coach Stephan Pulver’s Thun Tiger practices!

Things went well as Daniel met me at the airport and we took the train to his apartment in Bern.  We had a great train ride visiting about different things and also exploring where our (ad)venture would lead us this time.

Whatever turns we made down this road it was going to be exciting for me. Being around my friends and taking part in their practices and meetings was going to be an awesome.   (Meetings with players here are called “theory” sessions! – I always thought that was an interesting term to apply to coach to player meetings.)

After the hour or so on the train we made it to Bern on the first rainy day I can remember in my many visits here.  It was a little cool and obviously wet…and the natives seem to be dressed for a long winters day.  I guess they must have thought I was crazy in my usual sweat shirt and shorts.

We went up to Daniel’s apartment which was on the top floor of five (he graciously carried my bag all the way up since there is no “lift” in the apartment.) I certainly offered to take it part way up….but he would have none of it.

It is a great place in a really neat part of town.  The typical beautiful architecture which blended the history of Bern while lending itself to some modern ideas as well.  Daniel explained how this area was filled with a population of young professionals and students making for a vibrant section of town.

Plus it is within walking distance of one of my favorite areas I saw on the last visit –  “Old City”   After being there in October for a few days I can see why it is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Old City was built on a hill that the river Aare loops around on three sides. The river looks like a horseshoe snaking around a tongue of land on which the city was built (12-15^thcentury!).  Now seriously – our country was formed in the 1700’s for perspective.  Yet the “Old City” is relatively unchanged and it is obvious as you walk through it.

We walked towards the train station and the modern part of Bern down to the one of my favorite “chain” stores that is found in Switzerland – Coop (pronounced “Cope”).  Along with Migros they are two stores you can find almost anywhere in Switzerland.

This particular Coop is four or five stories high and has virtually anything you could need from cosmetics to winter clothing, from groceries to bedding. You can spend hours there wandering around (and I might just do that sometime this week).

Daniel took me to the top floor which has large plate glass expanses and looks out into the city.  He had a great looking cup of coffee and me, being the boor (it is boor not bore right??) that I am had a coke.  Unfortunately, Daniel had to work and our visit ended but would be continued when he finished for the day.

I wandered back across one of the bridges that span the Aare and found his apartment getting lost just once.  All I know it is a street name that starts with a “G” and ends with “Strasse”.  Well good luck with finding street signs – I know that locals can find them….but I had a harder time.

So getting lost only once I feel was a major accomplishment.

Bye the way on the flight over I was able to see “Bohemian Rhapshody” on the onboard entertainment.  Anyone who is a music fan should see it.  As everyone probably knows it is about Freddy Mercury and “Queen” and their history.

It is really well done and I have a greater appreciation for the depth and breadth of both Freddy Mercury and the other members of the band.  When you realize the strength of the library of work they had – well it is truly amazing.  Although it is a little long (so it is great for taking up a small portion of a seven-hour flight) it is well worth your time.