Lübeck Cougars part with head coach Ward

Surprise just before the turn of the year. Head coach Jim Ward, who was only signed up in mid-November, will not even take up his post at the second division football club Lübeck Cougars. Instead, a German trio is leading the mountain lions into the 2022 season.

Already at the first video conference of the 64-year-old American with the German coaching staff of the Cougars, huge differences emerged, so that some coaches announced their resignation because, from their point of view, a collaboration with Ward was not possible. Now the club pulled the ripcord, parted with the designated head coach before he was even on site in Lübeck.

Coach trio takes over at Lübeck’s second division football team

“Jim Ward is without a doubt a good coach. But he apparently expected different requirements than the Cougars actually have here, “explains Lübeck’s offensive coordinator Stephan Starcke, who is now together with Florian Dannehl (defensive coordinator) and Mark Holtze, who takes on the special teams of the mountain lions at the top of the coaching crew.

With this solution, you will be able to continue preparing for the 2022 season and, at the same time, continue the search for a suitable head coach. The coordinators agree that the aim is still to become more professional in all areas and to make the Cougars program better overall.

And also the one signed a few weeks ago – still by Jim Ward US running back Ashton Heard will go on a touchdown hunt for the Lübeck footballers in 2022. This was confirmed by the 27-year-old powerhouse (1.75 m / 85 kg) in discussions with the mountain lion coaches.