Michał Kołek named Warsaw Eagles offensive coordinator!

The Eagles aren’t slowing down! After appointing Deante Battle as head coach, it’s time for the next move ahead of the 2027 season. This time the staff is joined by someone who needs no introduction to American football fans in Poland. Michał Kołek takes over as offensive coordinator of the AFLE team, bringing the Eagles a deep knowledge of Polish football and a fresh view on how the team works. A new coach, a fresh start and more pieces of the puzzle to help the Eagles chase their ambitious goals in Europe!

Editorial team: Michał, welcome to the Warsaw Eagles! How did you come to join the club as offensive coordinator, and what convinced you about the project?

Michał: When the Eagles reached out with the offer to coach the offense, I didn’t need long to think about it. It’s a very stable organisation with a long tradition, one that has proven for years that it belongs among Europe’s best. For me it’s of course a huge honour and a personal challenge – a chance to compete for the highest stakes. Above all, though, I want to add my brick to the next stage of growth of Poland’s oldest American football team and help write the next chapter of Polish football on the international stage.

You were head coach of the Silesia Rebels Katowice for five years, and before that you worked with the Tychy Falcons. How did your time at those clubs shape you as a coach?

I was lucky to work with each of those clubs for several seasons in a row, and that showed me how important it is to trust the process. You don’t build a good team overnight. It takes hundreds of hours together, plenty of sacrifice and a willingness to build relationships and trust between players. And trust isn’t built with grand slogans, speeches or shouting – it’s built with honest, hard coaching work that shows players the coaches are doing everything they can to help them succeed.

Wins and losses are always valuable lessons, and they taught me that the ability to adapt is key in an environment as dynamic as American football. Whatever the situation, you have to find solutions, not excuses. On the field and off it, conditions change in an instant: either you can adjust your plan to reality, or you fall behind. In short: adapt or die.

After years as a head coach, you’re moving into the offensive coordinator role. How are you finding the change, and what excites you most about the new challenge?

Apart from being a head coach, coordinating the offense is the role I started my coaching career in, and one I have held without a break for the last 12 years. So it will be my natural working environment – something I have been in love with since my first contact with football more than 20 years ago. Now that I can focus on this job alone, I know I will give it everything and fully commit to getting every detail 100% right. I’m excited to work with such an experienced coaching staff and to set high standards for the players – because I’m sure they will expect exactly that!

How would you describe your offensive philosophy? What style of play would you like to bring to the Warsaw Eagles?

First, a modern offense is about posing mental challenges to the defense. The key in today’s football is not to be one-dimensional. A wide range of personnel groupings, formations and motions, together with a varied run and pass game that still stays simple for the offensive players, makes sure the defense is forced to communicate and react on every snap.

Second, I believe the offensive system always has to be fully tailored to the personnel we have and built on its strengths. In the end, the players on our roster will dictate what we do best. My job is to pick the schemes that make the most of their skill set and unique strengths.

Third, I’m deeply convinced that the offensive line is the heart of every offense – they give us control of the game and open up opportunities for everyone else. The more snaps we play with a “bully ball” mindset at that and every other position, the better we will move the ball down the field and impose our style on the opponent.

You also worked as offensive coordinator for the Helvetic Mercenaries. What did that experience teach you, and what can you bring from it to Warsaw?

Starting with the Mercenaries was a real baptism of fire: I flew to Switzerland just two days before my first game – against the best team in the league, the Vienna Vikings. Under time pressure, in less than 48 hours I had to install a new offensive system, run classroom sessions, get to know the players and put together a game plan. Above all, it taught me the pace of work European football demands, working with many import players and a full coaching staff, and making quick decisions both on and off the field.

My time in Switzerland showed me how to combine the quality of import players with the potential of local talent. In Warsaw I want to set a high tempo and work ethic from day one. I want to create an environment where young, talented Polish players can develop alongside experienced imports, learn from them and together build a dynamic offense.

Your first season with the Warsaw Eagles will also mean competing in Europe. How do you approach that challenge, and what opportunities does it open up for the team?

I can’t wait! For the last two years I have been waiting for my next chance to return to European fields, all the while steadily deepening my tactical knowledge and the ways of running an offense. For me personally it’s a return to a place where I feel completely at home – working with some of the best players in the country and competing at the highest level.

For the Eagles it’s a great opportunity to prove once again that they deserve a place in Europe, but it’s also a boost for football in Poland that raises the sporting and organisational bar for our whole community. And it’s the perfect chance to keep promoting Polish football and show fans at home and abroad that we have huge talent in this country – among both players and coaches.

The Warsaw Eagles are a club with a rich history and high ambitions. What goals are you setting for yourself and the offense for the coming season?

To set a high standard from day one, build trust among the players and create an offense that scores points and wins games. In the end, the goal of any competition is to win. We will work hard throughout the whole preseason to turn the effort we put in into the best possible result.