Stephen Fickert Explained

Stephen Fickert
Player Years1:1968–1969
Player Team1:Miami (OH)
Player Years2:1970–1972
Player Team2:Butler
Coach Years1:1973
Coach Team1:Seeger HS (IN)
Coach Years2:1974
Coach Team2:Western Michigan (GA)
Coach Years3:1975–1976
Coach Team3:Wabash (DC)
Coach Years4:1977
Coach Team4:Albion (DC)
Coach Years5:1978–1979
Coach Team5:Maryville (TN)
Coach Years6:1980
Coach Team6:Wayne State (MI)
Coach Years7:1981–1983
Coach Team7:Western New Mexico
Coach Years8:1985
Coach Team8:Upper Iowa
Coach Years9:1987–1989
Coach Team9:Elmhurst HS (IN)
Coach Years10:1995–1998
Coach Team10:William Blount (TN)
Coach Years11:1999
Coach Team11:Seinäjoki Crocodiles
Coach Years12:2000
Coach Team12:Hannover Musketeers
Coach Years13:2001
Coach Team13:Tupelo Fire Ants
Coach Years14:2002
Coach Team14:Bakersfield Blitz (AHC)
Coach Years15:2003
Coach Team15:Peoria Pirates (OC)
Coach Years16:2004
Coach Team16:Grand Rapids Rampage (AHC)
Coach Years17:2005
Coach Team17:Quad City Steamwheelers (OL/DL)
Coach Years18:2006
Coach Team18:McPherson (OC/AHC)
Coach Years19:2008–2009
Coach Team19:Parker Lutheran HS (CO)
Coach Years20:2011
Coach Team20:Huntington Hammer (GM)
Coach Years21:2012–2013
Coach Team21:Briganti Napoli
Coach Years22:2014–2015
Coach Team22:Allgau Comets (OC)
Overall Record:31–33–2 (college)
32–57 (high school)
Championships:1 Finnish Maple League (1999)

Stephen Sutherland Fickert is an American football coach who has coached at the high school, college, indoor professional, and international levels.

Playing career

A native of Indianapolis, Fickert began his college football career at Miami of Ohio where he played for head coaches Bo Schembechler and Bill Mallory. He transferred to Butler University where he lettered 3 times from 1970 and 1972 and was named first team all–ICC.

Early coaching career

Fickert’s coaching career began at Seeger High School in West Lebanon, Indiana in 1973, finishing with a record of 1 win and 9 losses. [1] He would then serve as a defensive coordinator at Wabash College for two years and for one year at Albion University where he was part of a very successful 1977 squad.[2]

College head coach

Fickert was the head coach at Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee from 1978 to 1979. A one-year stint at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan ended in 1980 after Fickert resigned in protest over budget cuts[3] He was the head coach of Brian VanGorder.[4] He would later go on to be the head coach at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, New Mexico from 1981 to 1983.

In 1985, Fickert made the unorthodox move of taking out $1,500 in advertising space in the Chicago Sun-Times to recruit players Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa where he was the coach for one year in 1985.[5]

High school, indoor, and international coaching

Fickert served as the head coach at Elmhurst High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana from 1987 to 1989, finishing 7–20,[6] and William Blount High School in Maryville, Tennessee from 1995 to 1998, finishing 13–28.[7]

In 1999, Fickert coach the Seinäjoki Crocodiles of Seinäjoki, Finland to a championship in the Finnish Maple League and followed that with a one-year stint as the head coach of the Hannover Musketeers of the German Football League. In 2001, Fickert was the head coach of the Tupelo Fire Ants of the National Indoor Football League,[8] followed by stints as an assistant coach for the Bakersfield Blitz in 2002,[9] Grand Rapids Rampage in 2004, and the Quad City Steamwheelers in 2005.[10]

Fickert spent time as the offensive coordinator at McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas[11] before coaching Parker Lutheran High School in Parker, Colorado to a 9–9 record from 2008 to 2009.[12]

Fickert was the general manager of the Huntington Hammer in Huntington, West Virginia for the 2011 season. After that, he served as the head coach of the Briganti Napoli in the second division of the Italian Football League in 2013,[13] and offensive coordinator of the Allgau Comets of the German Football League from 2014 to 2015.

Head coaching record

College

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1973 results. almanacsports.com. January 12, 2018.
  2. Web site: The 1977 Football Team . gobrits.com. January 12, 2018.
  3. Web site: Subject Focus: D-Day for Wayne State Football. wayne.edu. December 16, 2011. January 12, 2018.
  4. Web site: Brian VanGorder . wsuathletics.com. January 12, 2018.
  5. News: Scouting; Help Wanted. New York Times. Jim. Benagh. July 30, 1985. January 12, 2018.
  6. Web site: Fort Wayne Elmhurst High School Football History. almanacsports.com. January 12, 2018.
  7. Web site: Steve Fickert. Tennessee Football Database. January 12, 2018.
  8. News: Chuck Domino Story. Daily Journal. Ashley. Eklins. June 14, 2001. January 12, 2018.
  9. News: Bakersfield Blitz (7-5) at QC Steamwheelers. Dispatch-Argus. July 6, 2002. January 12, 2018.
  10. News: Wheelers Watch. Quad-Cities Times. April 7, 2006. January 12, 2018.
  11. Web site: MC announces addistions to staff. McPherson College. August 1, 2006. January 12, 2018.
  12. News: Class A team gets classy, savvy coach. Neil. Devlin. September 10, 2008. Denver Post. January 12, 2018.
  13. Web site: Adrian College Defeats Brigante Napoli 64-0 in Italy. adrianbulldogs.com. January 12, 2018.