“Has shaped generations”
Handball “professor” Rolf Brack is dead
By Till Erdenberger
3/21/2023 1:34 p.m
Football “professor” Ralf Rangnick once referred to Rolf Brack as a mentor. Brack is actually a handball player through and through. It is just an indication of the quality with which the Swabian communicates his ideas about sport in science and practice. Now Rolf Brack is dead.
German handball mourns the loss of one of its great personalities: Dr. Rolf Brack died unexpectedly on Tuesday night after an operation at the age of 69. Brack was “one of the greatest innovators in our sport,” said Bob Hanning, Managing Director of Füchse Berlin, in recognition of the long-standing Bundesliga coach. Brack’s death “pains me infinitely.” “A man with an incredibly soft core who could argue without getting personal,” wrote Hanning, who was closely connected to the family.
Rolf Brack didn’t collect any titles, but he is still one of the most valued figures in German handball. Because Brack led four different clubs into the Bundesliga, which, measured by their economic and structural conditions, did not necessarily belong there. It appeals to him “to train a big club,” said Brack once at a time when the sporting realities were still slightly different than today. But “apart from Barcelona, Ciudad, Kiel, Flensburg, Lemgo and Magdeburg there are no big clubs”. He never coached a big club, but Brack was a big coach with small means.
Through Bundesliga promotions with SG Stuttgart-Scharnhausen and TSV Scharnhausen, as well as VfL Pfullingen and HBW Balingen-Weilstetten, he made himself a record climber, and he also trained fresh up! Göppingen and HC Erlangen briefly in the Bundesliga. “Coach expertise also scores goals – not just money. And expertise means not only knowing a lot, but also being able to do a lot. Experience then also plays an important role. In the medium term, success can be influenced,” explained Brack in a 2010 interview Spox.
The practice “is much, much more complex”
At that time, the coach, who kept his clubs in the Bundesliga despite structural disadvantages, also gave an idea of his approach to work: “I do that based on statistically proven experience. When we’re outnumbered, we only score a goal in every fifth attack,” he explained. why he – at that time completely unusual, now common practice – can play with an additional field player. “But after attacks without scoring, we concede more than 50 percent of a goal. But if I take out the goalkeeper when I’m outnumbered and play six against six in attack, then we score well over 50 percent of a goal. It’s also the case that Even with a goalkeeper, although we have a good keeper, we concede a goal 80 percent of the time on counterattacks in one-on-one situations.”
The scientist repeatedly put his ideas into practice. But he always knew: “Science,” said Brack, “works under completely different conditions, solves partial problems, creates laboratory conditions.” And the practice? “It’s much, much more complex!” “Soccer professor” Ralf Rangnick, who later impressed soccer Germany with tactical subtleties, had also studied with Brack for five years. “He trained with me in basketball and handball. At that time, among other things, it was about marking the area, which actually has advantages in all team sports. In football in particular, it still played a subordinate role.” Rangnick once referred to Brack as a “mentor”.
Markus Baur, one of Brack’s successors on the bench at Frisch Auf! Göppingen told the “Stuttgarter Nachrichten”: “It’s extremely sad. Rolf Brack has shaped generations of coaches and players, without him many would not have arrived in the Bundesliga.” The sports scientist, who has a doctorate and habilitated, also set standards in coach education with innovative ideas and a never-ending urge to research. Brack shaped the teaching of the German Handball Association for around two decades. In addition to numerous Bundesliga coaches, national coach Alfred Gislason also passed his A license exam at Brack.
“It can’t be put into words”
The Swabian started his own coaching career at the age of 29 at TSV Zuffenhausen in the Swabian Oberliga – and was there after a disastrous start to the season before the end, but his team spoke out in favor of the young coach. And he went on to promise to pay back his full season salary if the team were to be relegated. Zuffenhausen managed to stay in the class on the last day and Brack made his way through German handball.
In Switzerland, people mourn the loss of the former national coach (2013-2016): “We are deeply shocked by this news. In addition to his work as national coach, Rolf also supported us for many years as part of the A license training,” says competitive sports director Ingo Meckes the great coach. “I think back to many friendly and exciting moments and wish his family a lot of strength.” Ex-club HBW Balingen-Weilstetten “has a lot to thank Rolf Brack for. He managed to get promoted to the 1st Bundesliga with the small club and to establish HBW there for years,” writes the club in its appreciation. “The people of Balingen owe it to him that they are known as “The Gauls” throughout Germany. What Rolf Brack did for HBW cannot be put into words.” Rolf Brack leaves behind his wife, two children and four grandsons.