13th Bavarian Coaches Convention biggest ever

The 13th Annual Bavarian Coaches Convention to be held at the Adidas Consumer Center in Herzogenaurach, Germany (not far from Nuremberg) Feb. 10-11, has broken records with a list of speakers that is more than impressive.

More than 300 coaches will be on hand to listen to a total of 10 speakers over the two days of the convention. In fact, so many coaches have applied that registration was closed more than a week before the convention.

Headlining the list of coaches are Siegfried Gehrke, former head coach of Germany’s Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns, and Patrick Esume, current NFL analyst on Ran.de NFL broadcasts, and Team France head coach. The lineup also includes former NFL offensive line coach Tony Wise, South Dakota University’s Ted Schlafke and Andrew Prevost, Kiel Baltic Hurricanes head coach Dan Disch, former Frankfurt Universe head coach Markus Grahn, Hauke Bastert from HUDL, sports psychologist Miriam Kohlhass, Swarco Raiders defensive line coach Bene Brugnara and Franken Knights Philipp Kimmelmann.

Gehrke was the head coach of the current German champions for 26 years, stepping down in 2017. He guided them to the German Bowl title in 2011 and 2012 and took them to five of the last seven finals. Schwäbisch Hall appeared in the Eurobowl final once. His record after moving the team up to the GFL in 2001 was 150 wins, 56 losses and seven draws. The team won seven German South conference titles, reached the semifinals seven times, and the finals five times. Over the past decade Gehrke’s record as a head coach rivals that of anyone in Europe. And he was definitely the longest serving.

Patrick Esume has become one of Germany’s most well known football personalities, especially during the NFL season as he delivers his game commentary every week. The Hamburg native began coaching in 1999 after winding up his playing career in Germany. He joined the Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europe winning the 2003 World Bowl with the team. He reached the World Bowl final again with the Hamburg Sea Devils in 2007. His coaching career has taken him to France with the La Courneuve Flash and to the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes where he won the German title in 2010 and the European Football League crown in 2014. Taking over as head coach of Team France, he led his team to its first ever victory over Germany, in the 2017 World Games.

Another keynote speaker will be former NFL and Super Bowl winning offensive line coach Tony Wise. After winning the national collegiate title with the Miami Hurricanes in 1987 under Jimmy Johnson, Wise joined Johnson with the Dallas Cowboys helping them win the Super Bowl. His offensive line paved the way for Emmitt Smith to win back to back NFL rushing titles in 1991 and 1991. He moved on to coach with the Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. His college coaching career included stops at Washington State, Oklahoma State, Miami Hurricanes, Syracuse and Pitt.

Former Frankfurt Universe head coach Markus Grahn will also speak at the convention. Grahn completed a unique quadruple in Europe. As a coach, he has won four major titles. With the Braunschweig Lions he won the German Bowl and Eurobowl as wide receivers coach, he was tight ends and special teams coach with the World Bowl winning Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europe and as head coach of the Universe captured the European Football League title in 2016.

Kiel Baltic Hurricanes head coach Dan Disch will be speaking as well. Prior to taking over the Hurricanes this year, for the past two years, Disch has been working as the secondary coach at the University of Southern Mississippi, and coached against his alma mater, Florida State on December 27 in the Independence Bowl.

Prior to his first year in Kiel, he spent three years as a defensive coordinator at the University of North Carolina. In 2011, he was a defensive coordinator at Southern Miss, and before that he coached the linebackers at the University of Illinois for six years. His first college stint was in 2004 at the University of Florida, where he coached the defensive backs. Previously, Disch, who played at Florida State and is from Jacksonville, Florida, coached 22 years in high school, 16 of them as head coach of Ed White High School.