Germany: Berlin Rebels sign Jag Bal as defensive coordinator

The Berlin Rebels of the German Football League have announced the signing of Canadian Jag Bal as their new defensive coordinator.

Bal was defensive coordinator for the Raiders Tirol of the European League of Football, ELF in 2022 after serving as head coach of the Berlin Thunder in 2021. Under Bal, the Raiders defense allowed the fourth fewest points and second fewest yards in the ELF.

The 39-year-old Bal, a native of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, played at Butte College in Oroville, California, (the same junior college that quarterback Aaron Rodgers transferred from the year before) and arrived in Europe as a defensive lineman with the Dresden Monarchs in 2007. After stints with the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes and Berlin Rebels, he entered the coaching field in 2010 with Croatia’s Zagreb Raiders as their defensive coordinator. He went on to become head coach of the Zagreb Patriots in 2011 winning the Austrian Second Division title. He joined Italy’s Catania Elephants in 2012 as head coach leading them to the Italian title game that year. The following season, he joined the defensive staff of the Swarco Raiders before settling in as defensive coordinator of the Berlin Adler for two years.

“Firstly, I have to thank Dogan Özdincer for the opportunity. I don’t think I would have made this move without him being there. Also, working with HC Doug Fryer piqued my interest as he had done tremendous work the previous years, both with Duesseldorf Panther and the Berlin Rebels; presenting one of the most prolific offenses the Rebels have ever displayed. Ever since I played for the Rebels in 2011 for HC Kim Kuci, coaching for the Rebels has always been in the back of my mind. I consider Berlin my home, and the Rebels are who brought me here. The Rebels have always been a force to be reckoned with. What they need most is the nudge that would make them a German Bowl contender which I believe Coach Fryer and myself can provide.”