Thursday, April 25, 2013

Klindera Pursues Pro Football in Germany

Last season SR ILB and Co-Captain Andrew Klindera lead the team with 109 total tackles (fifth best in the Statesmen's 119 single season history) and finished with over 200 during his Hobart career.  Klindera ranks second all-time in Hobart history for unassisted tackles in a single season with 56.  Given his leadership, drive and skill he wasn't looking to close the book on his football career just yet.

Klindera has traveled great lengths to continue playing football and told us what it's like to be a professional athlete in the German Football League (GFL) just outside Munich, Germany. 

How did you go about looking into playing professional football and what lead you to Munich?

I found this opportunity through a few friends who led me to a website called www.europlayers.com. The website puts players in touch with European coaches and teams from many different levels [overseas]. The levels of play go from division 1 until 6 and then to “Super Leagues” which are the highest levels in Europe. You find that the levels are really dictated by the American [more than] the local talent.

When will you know if/when you make the team? How are tryouts structured?

As an American, you are considered an "import" here. Once you sign with a team, you are on the team. The tryout part is just hoping to find a team that is looking for a player like me. Every team has different needs and with thousands of players to choose from it’s a pretty tight selection process. Like I said before, our head coach scouts players for a living so they knew what I was capable of and I am lucky that it fit their needs.

What GFL team are you on?

I play for the Fursty Razorbacks [see www.fursty-razorbacks.de]. The town, Fürstenfeldbruck, was given the nickname “Fursty” by American soldiers during World War 2 that struggled pronouncing the name over the radio. The history in the town is remarkable, and is home to a large German airbase that is not active any more but saw a lot of action during the War. The Razorbacks have been around since 1985 and were some of the first western Germans to cross over the eastern border in the ‘80’s when they played an exhibition game in the Soviet occupied zone outside of Berlin.

We're basically playing for a Southern German (Bavarian) Championship. We play in a six team conference based in Bavaria. The teams are called the München Rangers, Regansburg Phoenix, Straubing Spiders, Feldkirchen Lions and, our big rival, the Ingolstadt Dukes. The Razorbacks finished 9-1 last year and won the Conference title. This year we will look to repeat and move into the GFL 2. The conferences are set up like soccer leagues, so you play every team twice with the tie breaker being the amount of points scored during the games. [At] the end of the season [the best four teams have a] playoff to determine who will move up to the next level / league. [Even though they won the playoff last season] the Razorbacks decided not to move up so they could continue to build the program. We played and beat the best team from the GFL 2 this weekend [which why the Razorbacks are considered] one of the best teams in Germany.

Chagrin Falls, OH and Geneva, NY are considered small towns - how are you adjusting to living in a large, not to mention European, city?

Munich is a huge city, and I believe the 3rd largest in Germany, but when you’re downtown it feels very small. It’s a slower pace down here than in Berlin and the other German cities. As the people here like to remind me, "When you're in Munich you’re not in Germany, you’re in Bavaria." Furstenfeldbruck, which is 20 minutes outside of Munich, is a city of about 30,000 and feels very similar to Geneva and Chagrin. Bavarian people are very nice and welcoming so I haven't experienced a huge amount of culture shock. Being at Hobart definitely helped me feel more comfortable with international cultures.

How is pro/German FB different from DIII? What are the similarities?

First I would say that a football team is a football team no matter where you are. [Second] the locker room and practice fields have all the same humor, just in a different language sometimes. Playing at Hobart and in the Liberty League definitely prepared me well for this [level of football], the coaching [at Hobart] more so than anything else. The nice thing [about my new team] is we play a very similar defense to what we ran at Hobart so that’s been a nice, easy transition. The coaching staff here is by far one of the best in Germany. Our head coach, Larry Dixon, has coached all over Division I including being on Lou Holtz's staff’s at Arkansas and Notre Dame. He [also] coached with the Dallas Cowboys during the 80's and 90's and currently serves as an NFL scout. Working with him has been a great learning experience [for me] and he has been very complimentary of the Hobart staff and how they prepared me [to play pro football].




What other kinds of schools / players have come over to Munich to play in the GFL?

Currently I am here with one other American. He is from California University in PA which is a powerhouse Division II school. He had interest from teams in [the CFL], the arena league and was also invited to a pro day workout for the NFL. We played a team this past weekend that had players from North Carolina, UMass-Amherst, and Wake Forest, so the talent level for the American players here is very high. In the past the Fursty Razorbacks have had players from all over the US, even [sending] one to the University of Arizona who is now a future NFL prospect.

How did playing at a top DIII program like Hobart prepare you for football at this next level?

Again, playing at Hobart was a great thing. The coaching and intensity of our program has made this a very smooth transition, and the football knowledge that Coach Cragg and the rest of the staff taught me is amazing. We hold ourselves to a very high standard at Hobart which is why we have been so successful.

What do you hope to take away from this amazing experience (other than another / more football championships)?

For me this is really more about spreading the game and having [a great life] experience in another country. The youth programs in “Fursty” are a huge focus, and I have the opportunity to work with players from the age of 9 through 19. After the age of 19, the senior level or pro level starts [here in Germany]. Our youth programs have won numerous national championships and are well represented on the respective German national teams. I have only been here for a little over three weeks and I've really been immersed in the local culture. I think this is unique [especially when compared] to the traditional study abroad program because I'm really getting to see what day to day life is like in Germany, while forming actual relationships with the people who live here. The football piece is a huge bonus and obviously has been my ticket to the experience. Football in the States is a life changer for many people and I would love to be a start to developing that type of culture here in Germany.

I'd like to thank Andrew for taking the time to tell us about the great experience he's having playing pro football overseas.  Until next time, stay "Fursty" my friends.

Go 'Bart (and Go 'Backs)!!

Monday, April 15, 2013

Holston's Miller Gets a Kick Out of Hobart

Holston HS (Damascus, VA) SR PK Ethan Miller (@E_R_MILLER) tweeted that he intends to compete for kicking duties at Hobart this fall.  Miller will be one of two Virginia natives on the team (the other being rising SO FB Christopher Holoman of Asburn, VA), barring other recruits coming up to Geneva from the Commonwealth.

Statesmen fans may recall that Head Coach Mike Cragg brought in three kicking specialists in last fall's FY class given a great deal of struggles in the kicking game in the 2011 season (which definitely cost them a win over RPI and arguably could have helped them beat Wesley in the playoffs that season as well).  Rising SO's Josh Neuss and James Hull are the presumptive starters at punter/kickoffs and PAT/FGs, respectively, but Miller could get an opportunity pending tryouts in preseason camp.  Rising SR WR Yosh Karbonwiczak has also punted for the Statesmen for several years but perhaps can now focus exclusively on receiving duties (which the Statesmen will need given the graduation of deep threat WR Junior Woodard '13) in 2013.

Neuss booted 21 punts for 39.05 YPP average, dropping seven inside the opponents 20 yard line.  He hit two punts over 50 yards.  Neuss kicked off 66 times for the Statesmen, averaging nearly 50 yards per kickoff.

Hull went three of six in FG attempts (one was blocked) with a long of 27 yards.  Hull connected on 58 PAT attempts which put him third on the team in scoring behind the RB tandem of SR RB Bobby Dougherty (114 points) and JR RB Steven Webb (78 points).  Hull also attempted 14 kickoffs with a respectable 47.8 YPK average.

Miller was a first team All-Conference and second team All-Region player his SR season at Holston, his third as the starting PK.  Ethan was chosen to represent the East Region at Football Universities Top Gun camp in Williamsburg, VA and attended the University of Tennesse Kicking Camp prior to his SR season.  Miller has also worked with Chris Sailor, a private kicking coach based out of Los Angeles, CA.

At 6' 2" 170 lbs and initially having Division 1 / SEC school aspirations, it looks and sounds like Miller could be an impact player for Hobart.  Ethan is interested in architecture which is probably why he finally landed at Hobart vs. larger schools.

A highlight reel of Miller's kicking prowess is listed below:

http://www.ncsasports.org/football-recruiting/va/damascus/holston-high-school/ethan-miller1

Please welcome Ethan as part of the Class of 2017 and the Statesmen Football family.

Go 'Bart!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Hobart Football Banquet Recognizes Historic Season, Family and Teamwork

Last Friday night over 250 Statesmen Football players, coaches, alumni, faculty, administration and family members arrived at the Belhurst Castle to celebrate the greatest season in the 119 years of Hobart Football.

Organized by former Statesmen All-American WR Joe Stein '86, his brother Eric '89 and Trustee Thomas Poole '61; the Football Banquet was a wonderful recognition of last season's historic achievements.  The evening was also a reminder of what's so great about the Division III student-athlete experience.

The themes of family, teamwork and dedication were abundant in speeches delivered throughout the evening by Hobart Athletic Director Mike Hanna '68, Head Coach Mike Cragg, SR RB and Co-Captain Bobby Dougherty and HWS President Mark Gearan.  The highlight of the night's procedings however was when the current players, coaches and support staff were given individual championship rings and pendants thanks to a group of 35-40 alumni donors representing every decade from the 1950's all the way to the 2000's.

One other award presented before dinner, as a surprise, seemed to go over pretty well too (see below).


I could go on about the party at Coach Cragg's into the wee hours of the night, but thought better of it. That said I'll leave you with this: I think the best summary of the event was penned by rising SO RB Connor Hartigan who tweeted "It's a great night to be a Statesman."

Go 'Bart!

Monday, April 1, 2013

Hobart Signs Another Dual Threat in Salamanca's Tanner John

The Olean Times Herald reports that Salamanca High School (Western NY) SR QB/DB Tanner John will play football and lacrosse for the Statesmen.  A link to the article regarding John's "signing" with Hobart is attached below:

Olean Times Herald Article

Tanner is a three sport student athlete, with basketball being the third sport.  Last December John was profiled by WIVB Television in the following clip:

Scholar Athlete / WVIB Video 

Tanner was named to several local All Star and State teams for leading Salamanca to a 7-2 overall season.  He completed 60 of 144 passes (41.66%) for 1,210 yards and rushed for 875 yards on 99 attempts (8.8 YPC).  He also served as a safety and played on special teams. Overall, John accounted for 28 of Salamanca's touchdowns and was named the Western New York Class C South Division Most Valuable Player for the 2012 season.

Join me in welcoming Tanner to the Hobart Class of 2017!  You can get to know John a little better via this WGRZ.com profile: