Central’s De Waard, Roslien picked to lead team in Mexico all-star game

Central College

PELLA—Central College’s Don De Waard and John Roslien have been named to the coaching staff of a Division III all-star football team that will compete in the Tazon de Estrellas (Bowl of the Stars) Dec. 17 at El Tempo del Dolor Stadium in Puebla, Mexico.

De Waard, in his 30th season as an assistant coach, will serve as the defensive coordinator. Roslien, Central’s director of the athletic training education program, is the player personnel director. Both are on the U.S. staff for the third straight year.

Former La Salle, Delaware Valley and Widener coach Bill Manlove is head coach of the 44-man team Stars and Stripes. Over 200 players have been nominated to the squad and selections will be announced shortly. Five Central players participated in last year’s Tazon de Estrellas.

De Waard, Roslien and Manlove were each U.S. staff members several times for the Aztec Bowl, which was staged in Mexico for 11 years under the leadership of the late Ron Schipper, long-time Central coach. Twelve Central players were chosen to participate in the Aztec Bowl during that span including current Dutch assistant coaches Jeff Sanger, Reid Evans and Matt Paulsen.

A 1982 Central graduate, De Waard was named the American Football Coaches Association Division III Assistant Coach of the Year in 2000. He’s a co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Dutch, who are 6-2 overall.

Roslien has extensive international experience. Besides serving the all-star team the past 13 years, Roslien spent a year in Turkey as a physical education teacher and served as an academic liaison with Central’s international program in Wales. He’s also been a tour coordinator for various American teams.