ANSBACH, Germany -- Not getting enough football action during your tour in Germany' Well, the Franken Knights football club can help.
The Franken Knights, a German football club playing American football, offers a change to the traditional German fussball, or soccer, with a fresh new perspective on an old trend.
"We feel it is a common base to build friendships," said Dr. Joachim Gleiss, president of the football club.
Once a ballroom dancer, but now heavily involved with an American pastime, the general practitioner is just as excited and passionate as any American would be about the game.
"I hate soccer; I hate soccer," said the doctor, who then referred to American football with two words he commonly uses in his practice. "I think it is a virus -- actually it's contagious. Once you get into it and understand the game, you start loving it-when you start loving it you want to watch it."
With more than 300 members, the American football club is just right out your back door. Based out of Rothenberg, a few clicks west of Ansbach, the club offers opportunities for everyone.
"There are volunteer positions in every field," said volunteer board member Guenther Opel, who operates a pharmacy in Marktbergel.
From players and coaches, to finance, equipment managers, water managers and even cheerleaders.
"We have something for everyone and every skill base-if not, we can find something," said Opel.
Club membership fees are 144 Euro for adult players for a year, but that is not all inclusive.
"That mostly goes for club fees, team uniforms and equipment, and team transportation, but not extra trainings and the like," said Gleiss.
But Opel says it is not all work.
"It is important to build up the American football sport in Germany to be not only able to watch NFL on TV, but to go out and have fun with your family and watch a football game -- which is very interesting for most people, because they do not have a clue what American football is," added Opel.
Structured a bit differently, but played the same, the teams are tiered and driven by numbers-statistically and financially.
"There are four levels, or tiers, in the adult leagues," said Opel. "The lowest is the Bayern league; then the Region league, which is further broken into four divisions-North, South, East, and West; then the German Football League II (a 16-team league); and the highest being the German Football League I-the "Bundesliga" (a 12-team league), with both top leagues being broken into only North and South divisions."
With a rich 26-year history starting in 1983 by Nick Nagel, then the Ansbach Grizzly's (1978/79), the Franken Knights' club has various age-category specific teams.
"We have our youngest team, called the Flagattack, that includes a sub-group of younger learners -- like 'Padawans' from Star Wars; our youth team and the senior team, which is the adult team and is currently in the second GFL," explained Opel. "The GFL II is the second-highest level that exists and the team was in the highest level four years ago."
But Gleiss adds the GFL I requires a higher license fee and that would increase membership dues.
"But that is not the main thing," said Gleiss. "It's how good you are; you have to qualify for the GFL I."
And he notes a special aspect about the Knights that remained over the years.
"Despite more and more teams entering the league, they stayed up there. In all the 25-years the Knights played, they were always in the two highest leagues-either the first GFL or the second; they never dropped lower," he said. "But if we are last place or second to last place at the end of the season, we move down automatically."
Even though being an all-German team, Opel and Gleiss agree language barriers are leveled on the playing field because terms are in English.
"A lot of our coaches use American terminology," said Opel. "Everyone receives a play book, so they have an idea of what the game is about."
"Plus the Americans that come usually learn a little bit of German quite fast, and all the German players know some English. So they usually speak a quite interesting mix," added Gleiss.
But the German season is a bit different than tradition in the States.
"It is not played in the fall and winter months as the traditional American game is played-it is played in the spring," said Opel. "Our football season starts mid-April and ends in August."
"And we do it that way so we can watch the American football season in the fall," Gleiss interjected.
Competing against a time-honored cultural tradition, Opel said soccer is a team sport, but not the same as football.
"There is more team cohesion in football," said Opel. "It's multi-cultural -- contact with other people from other countries. I want to emphasize that I recommend American football because it is a real team sport. The team is the number one thing and it is not just one player having the complete impact on the team."
Opel then offered up some family and friend unit cohesion ideas too.
"If you want to see some home away from home, come and watch regular games of the Franken Knights," he said. "You feel at home seeing the game. You feel at home because we have service there-we grill out, sandwiches, schnitzel, coffee, cake, and have cold drinks for sale at low prices. Participants can even bring their own -- just like at home."
"There are a lot of people who do like Americans-not only American football, but have relationships with Americans. That is why I got in contact with American football, because I have a friend who is very close to an American G.I.," said Opel. "We can be a place to meet and make new friends. If you want to work or be part of the club, just come have a look-all ages and races are welcome."
And with the taste of America so close, they welcome all Americans and their families.
"Sure we do. It is called American football, so why wouldn't we," Gleiss said.
"We'd be glad to have Americans play with us, and as a matter of fact, we do have college players coming from the states to play with the adult team every year."
And like any American sports team, the club offers more than just the love of the game.
"It is all about team building," said Opel. "Being and working as a member of the board, there is a real friendship. There are a lot of good friends, close friends that work together as a family. Everybody is working together, not only for his own, but for the club. It really is a team effort because it is volunteer driven. The Franken Knights is a fine tool to connect American and Germans together."
And the president offered his perspective on the play.
"American football in itself, if it gets more importance in Germany, it makes Germany richer," he said. "It offers new experiences and is not something everybody has done all the time. It is something new and fresh for traditional soccer fans.
"If we can have a day where Americans feel at home, even if they are far away from home, see or play the sport they love and not have to watch it on TV only, and at the same time, can meet German people who love that sport also, find friends in a country where they are foreign, I think they will feel more at home that way."
Finally, Opel said, there is still plenty of time to get involved.
"It would not be too late to sign up for this season, because the last day to jump on the train would be June 30," he said.
Regarding tickets for all home games, they are available on game day at the stadium entrance, usually one hour prior to kickoff and season tickets are also available as well via email to: Frankengleiss@aol.com, Opel said.
Interested players can use the "Call the Coach" tab on the team's Web site, write an e-mail to the head coach, Martin Habelt, at Martin.habelt@t-online.de or visit a practice. A new schedule with the times of practice will soon be available on the team's Web site .
For complete details on getting involved, a schedule, to get tickets to see the Franken Knights, or request more information, go to www.franken-knights.de; e-mail at info@franken-knights.de, or call Opel at 09843-2953/97990.
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