The former handball player and coach Rolf Brack is dead. He died unexpectedly at the age of 69, as Managing Director Wolfgang Strobel of Brack's former club HBW Balingen-Weilstetten, citing his family, confirmed to the German Press Agency on Tuesday.

"He managed to get promoted to the 1st Bundesliga with the small club and to establish HBW there over the years. The people of Balingen have him to thank for being known as 'Die Gauls' throughout Germany. What Rolf Brack is for that HBW has achieved cannot be put into words," said the gaming community.

Brack, who had an operation on Friday, worked for Göppingen between 2017 and 2018. He also worked for Balingen-Weilstetten for many years. From the end of 2013 to 2016 he was in charge of the Swiss national team. Most recently, he worked for the Rimpar Wolves until the end of the 2020/21 season. Teams under Brack's leadership rose to the Bundesliga several times.

The sports scientist was an important personality for many renowned coaches - national coach Alfred Gislason also passed his A license exam with the then member of the Federal Teaching Commission of the German Handball Association. Even football official Ralf Rangnick called Brack a mentor.