In talking with athletes and coaches, it is clear there aren't many thrills that match the opportunity to represent your country on the national stage.
Last summer 11 players or coaches with America East ties represented their respective country at the World Lacrosse Championships. Two-time America East Goalkeeper of the Year Bouna Coundoul has appeared in national contests for his native Senegal. This summer, two of University of Hartford's head coaches have been given the opportunity to help their national teams.
A year after leading the U-18 women's national team to a gold medal, the Hawks' head women's basketball coach is leading the U-19 national squad into the World Championships, which start this week. Rizzotti, whose team begins tournament play Thursday against Japan in Chile, did a Q&A for USA Basketball earlier this week and will be blogging about her experience throughout the tournament.
Rizzotti's colleague, John Natale, the head women's soccer coach at Hartford, served as an advance scout to Team USA head coach Pia Sundhage at the 2011 Women's World Cup in Germany where the Americans finished second to Japan. Natale talked to the Hartford Courant about his experience befor Sunday's final.
