Introduction
Comprehensive breakdown on how it operates, specific step-by-step to get a job, and strategies for success once there
Coaches are usually surprised to hear that football exists all over the world (OUR football, not soccer), and further shocked to hear the sport is thriving.
From Europe to Mexico and Japan to Brazil. Over a thousand teams, their playing level ranging from large fully professional organizations with high expectations to small outfits with big dreams. They all need coaches - and many are willing and excited to hire American coaches. From former NFL and D1 HC’s to HS assistants, every year teams abroad are “importing” coaches from the US on contracts varying in size just as much as the levels they play at. The opportunities are real, but beyond simply not knowing the sport exists (and thrives) overseas, there are many key reasons why US coaches aren’t taking advantage of them. Most notably, how do you break into this scene and get a job on the other side of the planet? How do teams operate? What types of levels are there? How will I install my system or call plays when I don’t speak their language…How to even begin such a journey? And for such an unknown there are surely plenty of questions you aren’t even aware you SHOULD be asking. We’re here to bring clarity to all this - and to provide step by step strategy for not just getting that job abroad, but knowing what to expect when you get to the side so you can be successful.
Our clinic educates and comprehensively prepares coaches to pursue these jobs abroad, whether it be a 1 season stint or the start of a full time career move.
The opportunities exist, but what stops American coaches from taking advantage of them?
US coaches simply don’t know that football exists outside our borders. This clinic will give you a top to bottom understanding of the sport abroad, the current landscape, how teams are organized, and much, much, more.
Coaches don’t know how to position themselves to be seen by foreign GM’s looking to hire. We’ll flip the perspective and talk about how those GM’s search for US coaches and what they’re looking for, before diving into the exact steps to take to get yourself on their radar.
They aren’t sure how to discover, research, or contact teams. This will be discussed in detail, using real life examples, and a live look behind the scenes of the current marketplace.
Worries about how it would conflict with their fall coaching commitments. Many teams abroad play Spring-Summer seasons (with a few exceptions) which allow coaches to maintain their local commitments. We’ll talk about schedule differences between various countries and leagues.
Concerns that the quality of football being played abroad isn’t for them. A fair question, especially if this is the first you’re learning about it. We’ll look at the different levels of the sport overseas, from top fully professionalized teams to smaller ones. We will also highlight various former NFL and D1 head coaches/coordinators and their experiences coaching internationally.
Lack of coaches in their “bubble” who have done something like this to provide some guidance. It’s hard to walk a path you don’t know exists. You’ll hear straight from a coach who’s been abroad for nearly a decade, who can shed light on most questions/topics, and give you real world advice on your situation.
Fear of the unknown. We’ll discuss what to expect from both a football perspective and the real world environment that you’d be stepping into. There are unique challenges to coaching/living abroad and we’ll dive into strategies that will help you feel prepared for this adventure.
Unsure where, when, or how to start. Your first step is to register for this clinic, right now, with the button at the bottom of the page. We’ll get you ready for this.
What exactly is this clinic? And how will it help me get a coaching job overseas?
clinic - Overview and Goals
Our clinic is a small group session designed to educate you on the dynamics of football abroad, ensure you understand how these organizations operate, the different levels that exist, how the marketplace for professional player signings works, and explore what life is like as a coach in a foreign setting. One of the key topics is the actual process for getting offers to coach abroad. We’ll dive into specific details and go step by step on how to make yourself known to international General Managers, find available jobs, how to research teams, how teams will expect to communicate with you, contract negotiations (do you need an agent?), common red flags to be aware of, and what questions you should be asking teams during interviews.
The goal is that you walk out of our clinic educated from the ground up on how football is organized overseas, what levels you should be targeting, confident that you understand how to find these jobs and pursue/interview/negotiate/evaluate them, ready to take the first steps after being hired, are aware of/ready for the unique challenges of coaching overseas, and you’re prepared mentally (and paperwork-wise) for living abroad.
How to get a coaching job overseas - the full process:
Flip the perspective: How does an International GM approach hiring a coach from the USA and what are they looking for?
How to position yourself so foreign GM’s will see you and your resume (a specific step by step).
Strategies for researching teams.
How to find and evaluate advertised coaching positions.
How to contact teams and initiate conversations.
Communication strategy, how to elicit interviews, and the platforms to use.
What to expect from interviews, the typical questions they will ask you, and the questions you should be asking them.
What a typical contract looks like, how to negotiate an offer, and how to read between the lines/evaluate it.
Agents specifically for this marketplace… do you need one, what do they cost, is it worth it?
Clinic - Topic Syllabus
Comprehensive deep dive into football abroad and how it operates:
What type of coach has success internationally?
…and what type does not.
Where does the sport exist and how it came to be.
USA (education based) vs International (Club based) Systems and how it affects your role.
How organizations typically are set up/managed abroad.
Who are the local players you can expect to coach?
How the draw of college football, NIL, and the expanding NFL international pathway affects them.
How much are locals being paid to play?
Who are the professional players you’ll be signing and coaching?
What kind of levels exist? What does the landscape of a thousand teams abroad look like?
Differences between major countries, regional leagues.
Exploration of football in notable countries.
When are the seasons? (and how you can still coach the Fall season back in the USA)
Full-Time Careers vs 1 Season Stints
Big name coaches abroad
Who’s taken it seriously and done well… and who didn’t
How language affects everything and realistic strategies to deal with it.
The coaching experience abroad and what to expect:
First steps to take and what to expect in the first days
First team meeting, setting up communication, learning about your roster, typical media expectations, etc.
The Staff - what to expect from locals and other import coaches
Dealing with management.
Pro Players: How to find, evaluate, recruit, and sign them.
Common challenges coaches face.
Strategies for practice, meetings, and video breakdowns.
Keys to Coaching success abroad: Hard Work, Humility, Humor, and Humanity.
Living in foreign countries - how “Comfortable being Uncomfortable” is your key.
Answering questions that you don’t know to ask.
Passports, visas, residence permits, tax implications (Not legal advice).
Opportunities to travel and connect with family roots.
Follow up 1-on-1 Guidance through the Job Hunt process
“We want you to successfully get hired. That’s the goal here. After the clinic you should have a thorough understanding of how football abroad operates and the specific steps you need to take to get started. But that isn’t where our cooperation has to end. It’s important that you stay on track toward eliciting interviews and building toward collecting offers and adjust to how the job hunt progresses.
Through multiple follow up sessions (phone or video calls) during your hiring process we’ll ensure you’re on the right path and help you navigate the foreign coaching market.
Firstly, let’s make sure you’re well positioned to be seen by international GM’s, that you’re clearly seeing how to research teams and the posted job offers out there, and have a good strategy for applying/initiating communication. Its important you start the process with a plan and that you’re able to use the tools we’ve provided. We’ll work together to schedule this follow up session, ideally a few days after the clinic.
Optionally, we can introduce you to a sports agent who specifically represents coaches in the overseas market. As you begin your search for international opportunities it can be helpful to talk with an agent . We’ll discuss agents and if they’re right for you during the clinic, but essentially for a first time coach abroad an agent can do 4 important things for you:
Expand your network and cast a wider net for open job opportunities and even advocate you to their foreign GM connections.
They will help you in the interview process to understand and better compare offers, negotiate those offers to be better financially or with more protections.
Protect you from legal issues or predatory/unscrupulous teams taking advantage of you.
Can be a great connection to sourcing professional athletes you’ll need to start recruiting and signing.
And lastly, let’s schedule a follow up for the November/December time period when offers and signings are happening in a flurry. We can discuss how your situation looks and strategize for the next steps.
As you embark on this adventure abroad we want you to feel like you have the support and guidance you need to be successful, as well as a connection who has walked this path before.
Who is leading this Clinic?
Coach Augie Stevens has built a near decade-long career coaching professionally overseas. He’s had stops as a Head Coach and Coordinator building programs and wielding an RPO offensive system across 7 countries outside the USA, including the top levels of the sport in Australia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, Italy, and Hungary.
His adventure abroad began with an opportunity to play professionally in Australia, the experience of which never left him. Several seasons of high school coaching, a short stint playing arena football, an internship at the University of Cincinnati, and years spent learning the craft as an assistant coach at Earlham College and Lindsey Wilson College (now “University”) gave him the foundation for success internationally.
He is a native of Mount Vernon, WA and a graduate Washington State University.
More than coaching - become an ambassador of America and the sport
“I love football, and I’m deeply thankful for what my journey with the sport has done for me.
There’s a huge difference between traveling as a tourist abroad and actually living somewhere. You get to experience the real depth of a place and a cultural exchange is happening as you coach your team and live in a community. You’re essentially an ambassador of America and of the sport.
The people are the best and most interesting part of the experience. I’ve found that the players are hungry to learn and excited to have an American coach. Their motivations and perspectives on the game are unique. The characters you interact with in the community always paint a vivid picture, become life-long friends, and help you absorb the place.
I love languages, history, and travel. To coach in the shadow of castles, be immersed in culture, all deep in the heart of Europe’s history.
The familiarity we all have with game day, whether yours is on Friday night, Saturday, or Sunday, is replaced with an environment so strikingly unique. There are moments that really make me zoom out and appreciate the moment. A few beautiful memories that really have stuck with me:
-Watching the fog lift and seeing old bergamo.
-The field of kangaroos in australia
-Heart of cities like Salzburg, Prague, Munich, Florence, Warsaw, Berlin, and Milan.
-Along Italy’s Adriatic Sea, the Mediterranean beaches on the southern tip of France, Gold Coast and Great Barrier Reef of Australia.
-Hearing crowds chant and sing in a foreign language.
For many American coaches this is also an opportunity to connect with family roots, see the world from a different perspective, and connect with the game on a fascinating level.
I hope you’ve absorbed the passion I have for this game abroad and the opportunities that exist for American coaches to be a part of this. Join me for a clinic session for an enlightening discussion and let’s get you ready to embark on this adventure!”
-Coach Augie Stevens
Upcoming Combines
TBD Location - TBD Date - TBD Time (Florida)
TBD Location - TBD Date - TBD Time (Ohio)
TBD Location - TBD Date - TBD Time (Seattle)
Register now!
International Pro Football Combine
Summary
Choose which event
$150 $99
(Pre-Register Discount)