Immigrant Sports Coaches Shaping the Future of American Sports

Before an athlete steps onto the field or court, the thoughts running through his/her mind are those of the coach. A sports coach not only attends to the physicality of his athlete, but also to the emotional state that will enable his team to succeed. What a player will learn from his coach is not just how to improve his performance, but also life lessons. In 1980, Herb Brooks, an American hockey coach, brought the U.S. Olympic team to victory by creating a hybrid training style, which consisted of borrowing from the Canadian and European schools of hockey. In the 21st century, more coaches are arriving from abroad training American athletes and making remarkable contributions to the world of sports.

You may recognize famous athletes, but can you identify the masterminds behind the strategic plays? See if you can identify the following: (a) the coach, (b) country of birth, and (c) the sport coached.

Send your answers, along with some biographical information about yourself (Are you an immigrant? If so, where are you from? Where do you live? What is your occupation? Special interests?). Include how you solved the quiz, how long you’ve been a subscriber to our newsletter and what you use our newsletter/website for, to:

jhernandez@shusterman.com

The winner will receive a free consultation before the end of January 2010.