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MOUNT IDA HOOPS AIDS IN OPERATION HARDWOOD VI
The Mount Ida College men's basketball team recently donated Mount Ida basketball t-shirts to "Operation Hardwood VI: Hoops with the Troops" on August 20th, 2009 in Iraq. Operation Hardwood in association with USO (United States Organizations) and Armed Forces Entertainment has held this week-long basketball tournament and championship game since 2005. Eight of basketball's most renowned coaches and sports personalities (Jim Crews - West Point Head Coach, Fran Fraschilla - ESPN Analyst and Former St. John's University Head Coach, Mike Gillian - Longwood University Head Coach, Mark Gottfried - Former University of Alabama Head Coach, Brian Gregory - University of Dayton Head Coach, Steve Lavin - ESPN Analyst and Former UCLA Head Coach, Jeff Nix - Former New York Knicks Assistant General Manager, and Dennis Wolff - Fomer Boston University Head Coach) made the trip across the Persian Gulf to partake in the sixth annual Operation Hardwood.
The Operation Hardwood series had deployed more than 40 NCAA basketball coaches and sports personalities overseas, delivering a touch of home to more than 7,000 service members - 1,000 of whom have played for these elite college coaches. Committed to bringing athletic figures and sports-related events to America's armed forces, last year the tour lifted the spirits of more than 1,500 troops in Kuwait and Iraq alone.
Former Boston University Terriers head men's basketball coach Dennis Wolff, long time friend of Mount Ida men's basketball head coach Rico Cabral, was the college team representative for the Mustangs while in Iraq. "We were honored to donate the shirts to our heroes overseas and to aid in such an outstanding event for our troops", said Coach Cabral.
Check out the USO website here.
USO Photo by Mike Clifton
