He may not be donning his Badger-red jacket, but University of Wisconsin head basketball coach Bo Ryan will still be coaching this summer.
USA Basketball announced yesterday Ryan will coach the 2009 men’s team in the World University Games, a biannual international tournament that takes place in Belgrade, Serbia, from July 2 to July 12.
Although this is Ryan’s first opportunity to head a United States team in international play, it is not his first time being on a coaching staff in the men’s World University Games. In 1995, Ryan was an assistant coach to then-Florida head coach Lon Kruger.?
Ryan said he is excited to be in the position to bring yet another gold medal back to the U.S.
“I’m very honored, and my peers know what this means,” Ryan said. “You’re selected by a pretty distinguished group of coaches internationally. … In the United States, you’re expected to be the best. International teams really want to beat the U.S., so we’ll be on a mission to beat the odds.”
As Ryan looks to give the United States its first tournament victory since 2005, he said he is unsure who will be playing for him.?
According to Ryan, the same committee that determines who coaches the team invites players to tryouts in Colorado Spring, Colo.
“They bring in a group of 20-something kids, then we work them out in Colorado Springs and we select the team and go from there, but I don’t pick — that’s the committee’s work,” Ryan said.
Following his coaching norm, Ryan said he will institute the swing offense into the team’s offensive scheme, which revolves around setting screens and bringing every player into post positions.?
Although he may not know the players, Ryan said he is confident any team can easily adopt the swing offense.
“I’ve put in the swing at basketball camp and kids are running it by third or fourth grade; it’s all about solid basketball,” he said.
However, also mirroring his values in National Collegiate Athletic Association play, Ryan’s main focus will be on defense, an aspect he said he feels is most important, particularly against international competition.
“The main thing is in international play there are so many good shooters that you have to guard people really tough,” Ryan said. “They’ve got good athletes, too, and they get back and protect the rim, so there’s a lot to cover.”
With winning the tournament being Ryan’s overarching goal, he is more interested in the opportunity to coach on the international level. Ryan said he feels international play combines basketball and diplomacy into one, making it as multifaceted as it is diverse.
“Through international play, that’s how we got to know each other, learn about other people and that’s still in the spirit of the game,” he said. “You have to do your best, and whatever that is, that’s what happens.”
Before coaching for the Badgers, Ryan coached for 15 seasons at UW-Platteville, where he led the Pioneers to four NCAA Division III national championships. He also coached at UW-Milwaukee for two seasons before taking the head coaching position in Madison.
