Thomas Schaaf is a former player for the German Bundesliga football team Werder Bremen and coach of Eintracht Frankfurt, the team which he now manages. He is also currently an International Educational Advisor for the Jikei Group of Colleges. Mr. Schaaf visited the Tokyo College of Sports and Recreation on November 11 and delivered special lectures for the students of the Sports Trainer Department and the Sports Business Department. With 40 years of experience in the German Bundesliga, Mr. Schaaf spoke with passion and enthusiasm, tailoring the content of each lecture specifically to suit the special characteristics and career goals of the students in each department.

 

Sports Trainer Department: Special Lecture

 

“It takes Technical Skills and Interpersonal Skills to Succeed at the Top.”

 

The lecture took the form of an interview with the faculty and the students asking the questions. Mr. Schaaf spoke about training and explained the importance of training the core and not only the lower body, as was the case in the past, and had the students take on the role of the athletes as he demonstrated his point.

 

In response to a question regarding conditioning, he said that “With Bundesliga, cup competitions, FIFA-sponsored games, it’s important for the medical staff, including the trainers, to share the individual information for each of the players that they possess in order for the coach to do his part.”

 

Moreover, Mr. Shaaf talked about how important it is for athletes and trainers alike to have not only confidence but also to be humble at the same time in order to work in the top leagues such as the Bundesliga. In other words, interpersonal skills can have a big effect on one’s career.

 

Sports Business Department: Special Lecture

 

“Considering What Your Clients Value and What Will Make Everyone Happy is Essential for Business.”

 

First off, the Sports Business Department gave a presentation on its Cooperative Education with Industry projects, with Mr. Schaaf providing feedback saying, “For a project to succeed, you need to figure out what the value is for the clients—that is, the fans, the team, the sponsors—and work out a plan which will make everyone happy.”

 

Mr. Schaaf also gave the students and staff some advice from his standpoint as a manager and from his experience: “Leadership is very important for a team. The players and the staff members each possess many different characteristics, and it’s important for you to recognize and respond to the efforts of each person. When you make demands of the team as a whole and of each member individually, it’s important always to be conscious of the fact that you yourself are a role model.”