Magnus Gram (Austria), Edgar Vera (Mexico), Damaso Tarneller (Austria) and Wayne Neijhorst (Netherlands) pose for a photo at The Oakland Raiders Alameda, Calif., facility.
Oakland Raiders training camp will have an international flavor for the seventh straight year, as the Silver and Black have invited four international coaches to join Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable's staff during summer workouts at the team's Napa Valley, Calif., training complex.
The Raiders International Guest Coach Program welcomes coaches from foreign countries to the team's training camp complex each year. The coaches are given the unique opportunity to observe practices and learn from the Silver and Black.
"The Raider Nation is global and our unique International Guest Coach Program is just one of our exciting initiatives designed to unite our worldwide fan base," said Raiders Chief Executive Amy Trask.
The four international coaches will arrive at camp on Monday, August 23, and continue their stay through the first preseason game at home against the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday, August 28 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. They will participate in the annual fan festival, "Back to Football: The Raider Nation Celebration," which will take place on Friday, August 27 at Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland. The coaches will travel back to their home countries on Sunday, August 29.
Damaso Tarneller will represent his home country of Austria in this year's International Guest Coach Program. Tarneller joined the SWARCO Raiders in 1990. After playing in all youth programs he is now a member of the Tyroleans first and second teams. He played quarterback and linebacker during the 2009 season. He reached the Austrian Bowl with the SWARCO Raiders' first team in 2010 and led the second team to an undefeated regular season and the Iron Bowl final. As a player he also was a member of the teams that won the 2008 and 2009 Eurobowl championships.
Tarneller started coaching for the SWARCO Raiders the last two years. At first he worked as the 'school youth' quarterbacks coach (13-14 year olds). Now he also is the defensive backs coach of the juniors team (17-19 years old).
Magnus Gram also comes from Austria. He was also part of the team that won the Eurobowl in 2008 and 2009. Gram started his career with the SWARCO Raiders in 2006 after playing hockey originally. He plays defensive end for the Tyroleans. Gram began coaching in 2008, when he was the Carinthian Black Lions defensive coordinator for the youth division (15-16 year olds) and the junior division. Since 2009, he has been responsible for the SWARCO Raiders' rookie program and also functions as coach for young players at the team's tryouts.
Edgar Vera is from Mexico. He spent his playing career with Borregos Salvajes from the University ITESM Campus Laguna (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey). His coaching career began when he trained the defensive line in the youth category for Aguilas Blancas. After spending time as a defensive coach for the junior and intermediate categories in other organizations, he went on to coach his alma mater,Borregos Salvajes, serving as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach.
For the first time, the Raiders will host an international guest coach from The Netherlands. Wayne Neijhorst will be representing his home country of Holland at the 2010 Raiders Training Camp. Neijhorst has been coaching football in Amsterdam for 10 years. His coaching experience started with flag football within the Amsterdam Admirals' (NFL Europa) grassroots program and has since then spanned various levels at both the school and the club level. He spent the past two years coaching both a JV and a Varsity team with the Amsterdam Crusaders resulting in two national finals performances and a national championship for the Varsity team.
Besides coaching at the club he coordinates the entire Amsterdam school football program as well as working with the Dutch national under 19 team as a defensive backs coach. He will join the rest of our international guess coaches for this year's Training Camp.
The Raiders have long been recognized as a global organization and have increased the popularity of NFL football worldwide by playing in American Bowls in London, Barcelona, Tokyo and Mexico City. The Raiders reach an international audience through the team's official web properties in English, Spanish, Chinese, German, Japanese and Tagalog.
