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CZECH LIST! In the summer of 2000, my international basketball adventure began. Leading a team of touring college all stars under the now defunct Planet Basketball, the mid-summer trip to Europe included stops in Finland and the Czech Republic. Flying into Prague, our team took a bus across the beautiful central Czech countryside to a city called Pardubice where we prepared for our first game. In Europe for the first time in my life, I can remember looking out the window at the unknown new world and wondering what life could be like in the Czech Republic. The small towns and rural countryside reminded me of my home in western Pennsylvania, but Pardubice itself was nothing like I could have imagined. My basketball adventure began there. After checking into the finest hotel in the city, our Planet Basketball team was treated like royalty over the next days participating in official ceremonies to meet and greet the mayor along with other city politicians and members of the Czech Basketball Federation. Overseas for the first time, I actually thought this was normal, but looking back I realize how special the whole trip was. As our team prepared to play its first game in Pardubice's cramped, worn-down gym, the team at the opposite end of the floor going through layup lines was the Czech National team. On that night, the Czech Republic beat Planet Basketball 100-92 in a friendly exhibition. Two days later in Prague, we played the Czech Republic Junior National team in another excellent exhibition game. Looking back, those first experiences in Czech Republic tipped off my basketball adventure in Europe. Fast forward ten years to July 2010 in a central Czech city of Liberec located north of Pardubice. Arena Tipsport, ordinarily the beautiful home of the White Tigers Liberec ice hockey team, hosted training camp for the Czech Republic basketball team. The red, white and blue practice jerseys proudly script Czech Republic across the front. New National team Head Coach Pavel Budinsky from Decin barks commands in Czech as players push themselves through fullcourt transition work and ballscreen defense breakdown drills. The atmosphere is positive. There is energy. The players play with pride for their country. After ten seasons coaching overseas, my basketball adventure brought me back to where it began for a summer with the Czech National team serving as an assistant coach for my friend Pavel. Just as meaningful, I have the honor of being the first American coach in the history of the Czech Basketball Federation. As the players were warming up for practice, I could not help but think back to those layup lines in Pardubice 10 years ago. Once again, the Czech Republic tipped off another special basketball adventure. Follow all the exciting international basketball action this summer as Taylorhoops features a new 'Czech List' of experiences following the Czech Republic National basketball team! TAYLORHOOPS CZECH LIST
Follow all the fast breaking ratiopharm Ulm and international baketball action all season long on Taylorhoops.com! GO ULM! MIKE T
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