Jim Foster (American football)

==Biography==

==Biography==

Born and raised in [[Iowa City]], Iowa, Foster graduated from the University of Iowa in 1972 with a [[Bachelor of General Studies|BGS]] in advertising/marketing and broadcast journalism, (working on air for UIowa radio stations WSUI and KICR). At Iowa, Foster lettered in track/cross country while also being a member and officer in the [[Sigma Phi Epsilon]] fraternity. He also served as the paid executive director of the overall 22 houses fraternity system at UIowa from 1970 to 1972 when he graduated.

Born and raised in [[Iowa City, Iowa]], Foster graduated from the [[University of Iowa]] in 1972 with a [[Bachelor of General Studies]] in advertising/marketing and broadcast journalism. He worked on air for University of Iowa radio stations [[WSUI]] and KICR. At Iowa, Foster lettered in track/cross country while also being a member and officer in the [[Sigma Phi Epsilon]] fraternity. He also served as the paid executive director of the 22-house fraternity system at the University of Iowa from 1970 to 1972.

In 1974 He founded, played and served as club director of the [[Newton Nite Hawks]] minor league football team of the Northern States AAA Pro Football League (NSFL). After winning the league championship in 1975, Foster worked with a well known European soccer coach and sports promoter Bob Kapp, to organize and introduce the sport of American (pro level) football to Europe for the first time, during a five-game exhibition tour in June 1977 between the Nite Hawks and the Chicago Lions of the Northern States AAA Pro Football League playing exhibition games in major European cities, including Paris, Lille, Frankfurt, Gratz and Vienna.

In 1974, he founded, played and served as club director of the [[Newton Nite Hawks]] minor league football team of the Northern States AAA Pro Football League (NSFL). After winning the league championship in 1975, Foster worked with a well known European soccer coach and sports promoter Bob Kapp, to organize and introduce the sport of American (pro level) football to Europe for the first time, during a five-game exhibition tour in June 1977 between the Nite Hawks and the Chicago Lions of the Northern States AAA Pro Football League playing exhibition games in major European cities, including Paris, Lille, Frankfurt, Gratz and Vienna.

In the fall of 1977, he was hired away from the Nite Hawks to take over the reins of the struggling NSFL [[Quad City Mohawks]] in [[Rock Island, IL]], (the one time home of charter NFL team, the Rock Island Independents led by star player Jim Thorpe). Foster rebranded the club as the Black Hawks, as well as rebuilding the team roster. That led to their first winning season in a decade and a berth in the 1978 NSFL Championship game. In June 1979 Foster, working with a major European based sports/events promotion firm, Keith Prowse Co., conducted a 2nd European Pro Football 5 game tour featuring the Black Hawks vs. the Indianapolis Capitols, also of the NSFL, playing in Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Frankfurt, (2 games).

In the fall of 1977, he was hired away from the Nite Hawks to take over the reins of the struggling NSFL [[Quad City Mohawks]] in [[Rock Island, IL]], (the one time home of charter NFL team, the Rock Island Independents led by star player Jim Thorpe). Foster rebranded the club as the Black Hawks, as well as rebuilding the team roster. That led to their first winning season in a decade and a berth in the 1978 NSFL Championship game. In June 1979 Foster, working with a major European based sports/events promotion firm, Keith Prowse Co., conducted a 2nd European Pro Football 5 game tour featuring the Black Hawks vs. the Indianapolis Capitols, also of the NSFL, playing in Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Frankfurt, (2 games).