Dr. Uri Schaefer has been Deputy Director General and Sport Authority Director of Israel's Ministry of Culture and Sport from 2008 to 2016. He was also vice-chairman of the National (Israel) Sports Council,
From 1985 to 1997 he was the Director of the Nat Holman School for Coaches and Instructors, at Wingate, which at that time was the only institution for Coach Education in Israel.
From 1997 to 2008, he was Director General of Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sport in Netanya, and a member of the Elite Sport Unit for Olympic Preparations of the Israel Ministry of Culture and Sport and the National Olympic Committee.
In 1994 Dr. Schaefer initiated together with professional colleagues from Germany, Great Britain, Canada and China the establishment of the International Council for Coaching Excellence – ICCE. (then for Coach Education). In 1997 upon the inauguration of the Council at the Wingate Institute he was elected first President of the Council and served in this position until 2005.
In 2016 Dr. Schaefer was elected in Brazil, President of the International Council of Sports Science and Physical Education, and in 2021during a virtual General Assembly he was reelected as the Council President for a second term.
Dr. Schaefer initiated and established the Israeli Coaching Association with former Paul Vault Champion Alex Averbuckh in 2021 and has served as Director General since then.
Dr. Schaefer is a member of the IJSHOF and serves as Vice President.
Dr. Schaefer received his bachelor's degree in physical education and education at Wingate College for Physical Education and Tel Aviv University in 1971, Master's Degree in Education at Tel Aviv University in 1980, in honor, and Ph.D. in 1992, in top honor at the Semmelweis University of Physical Education and Sport in Budapest, Hungary.
Among the many honors he has received are the 1992 ICSSPE Sport Science Award of the International Olympic Committee President; the 1998 Israel Olympic Committee Award for Outstanding Leadership and Contribution to Coach Education and the 2016 Rupin Academic Center award.
