Coaching American Football Overseas

By John Trana, American Football Coach in Russia and Croatia   American football’s popularity is growing quickly all around the world. It is opening up new avenues for players and coaches to continue their football careers. There are over 700 teams in Europe alone playing American football. The quality of football can vary drastically with the top teams playing at a low college level. As the NFL continues to expand overseas, so will the popularity of American football.   I have had the opportunity to coach in Croatia and Russia as well as consulted for teams in Italy and Sweden. I never thought football would take me overseas and I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring other cultures. I have coached a team that had players from Croatia, Serbia, France, Russia and the United States. The power of American football is taking players from completely different cultures and empowering