Izzo To Coach Camp Patriot In Operation Hardwood II
5/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
May 24, 2006
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -
Spc. Robert Adams
Desert Voice Assistant Editor
Tom Izzo, Michigan State University's head coach, made a return trip to Kuwait along with 12 other NCAA basketball coaches and sports personalities, to coach a military team in the Operation Hardwood II basketball tournament May 23-28.
  | |
Izzo's Camp Arifjan team won the Operation Hardwood "Hoops with the Troops" tournament in August. This year Izzo coaches a team of troops from Camp Patriot located on the Kuwait Naval Base.
In addition to coaching, Izzo will again get the chance to a ride in a tank, a Bradley fighting vehicle and a camel. The coaches will also visit troops at the medical hospital, tour the Humvee up-armor facility, stay in Army barracks, and hold a basketball clinic for Kuwait children in Kuwait City. When Izzo isn't coaching, he is in the stands meeting and taking pictures with troops.
"The opportunity I've had here ... the chance to meet everyone of you ... the chance to wear this uniform ... I thank you for letting us be a small part of it," Izzo said in August. "We will never give you, as much as you've given us, but we will promise you to spread the word and tell what you are all about when we get back home."
During a meet and greet session with troops May 24, Izzo said he remembered how grateful the troops were to have the coaches there. "You gave us a lot more than we gave you," Izzo said. "Thank you for what you do for us."
 | |
The Operation Hardwood "hoops with the troops" tournament consists of 12 teams of servicemembers from the seven Kuwait military camps. The teams will play games in a one of three pools. How they perform during pool play will determine their seeding for the single-elimination tournament. The other coaches are Tubby Smith, Kentucky, Gary Williams, Maryland, Mark Gottfried, Alabama, Dave Odom, South Carolina, Kelvin Sampson, Indiana, Rick Barnes, Texas, Bobby Lutz, UNC Charlotte, Reggie Menton, Air Force Academy, Jim Crews, West Point, Billy Lange, Naval Academy, and Jay Bilas, ESPN analyst.
