KAMLOOPS — Coaches come and go in professional football.
A little more regularly for assistant coaches.
Since his coaching career began in 1981, Jeff Reinebold’s resume has read like the Hank Snow classic ‘I’ve been everywhere.”
Jeff Reinebold and his trademark motorcyle have made 18 stops since his first one at Western Montana College in 1981.
Now he’s back where his CFL coaching career began in 1991, and beginning his third stint with the B.C. Lions, as the special teams coach.
“Ya, you know brother, I’m a west coast guy,” says Reinebold.
After his motorcyle, Reinebold’s next ride is his paddle board. He lives 20 steps off the water at Crescent Beach in South Surrey, when he’s not at home in Hawaii.
Even though he’s had two previous gigs with the B.C. Lions, it was before Wally, and this is his first chance to work with the legendary Lions head coach.
“Wally and I were always competitive rivals,” says Reinebold. “To be honest with you he beat me way more times than I beat him. But I’ve always had tremendous respect for him.”
“I’ve been around two great leaders in my time. Dick Vermeil, who I was around with both the St. Louis Rams and Kansas City – and then Wally. They both have this unbelievable ability to touch people.”
Reinebold’s longest gig in coaching anywhere was Hamilton. Five years – from 2013 to last August, when he was fired as the Ti Cats defensive coordinator.
After taking time to contemplate his future, he accepted Wally Buono’s offer to become the Lions special teams coach.
“I’m very impressed with his professionalism, his preparation,” says Buono. “His attention to detail – and the other thing he holds the players accountable.”
“That’s a big believer in how you should do things, and how I like to do things. Be fair with the players, give them what you expect from them and then make sure you get it.”
Away from the football field Jeff Reinebold and Wally Buono are like polar opposites.
Reinebold with his motorcyle, paddle board – and – tattoos. He is undoubtedly the king of coaches in any sport when it comes to body art – something he spoke about in a recent interview with Global sports.
“I think I’m far and way ahead,” laughs Reinebold. “I don’t have a lot of body surface, but what I have I’ve maximized.
