Indiana University Athletics
Sampson in Kuwait, Part V (Final)
5/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
May 29, 2006
Indiana University basketball coach Kelvin Sampson is in Kuwait for the second straight summer as part of Operation Hardwood II. Sampson, who is part of a group of coaches who are coaching U.S. military basketball teams in a tournament from May 23-28, will make periodic reports on iuhoosiers.com. This is the fifth and final report.
With this being our last day, it was truly an emotional, emotional time. It started with my team winning the championship, which was exciting for all of us. We won three games and it was a credit to how hard my team worked. These soldiers were amazing. They never complained during the high temperatures and you never had to ask anything of them twice.
I can¹t say enough good things and give enough thanks to the troops. These soldiers I have been around the last week have been tremendous and it was a life-changing experience. I was proud to serve with the members that went: Mark Gottfried (Alabama), Dave Odom (South Carolina, Bobby Lutz (Charlotte), Tom Izzo Michigan State), Rick Barnes (Texas), Jim Crews (U.S. Military Academy), Billy Lange (U.S. Naval Academy), Tubby Smith (Kentucky), Gary Williams (Maryland), Jay Bilas (ESPN basketball analyst) and Reggie Minton (former Air Force coach and NABC representative).
We are getting ready for the one-hour trip to the airport, and then we leave tonight and fly to Frankfurt, Germany, before arriving in the United States.
This entire trip really showed what¹s important to me. It was an amazing, terrific experience and I thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity. I am looking forward to returning to Bloomington and using what I have learned here to make the student-athletes better people on and off the court.
These soldiers are motivating and incredible. After we won the championship, six of my players left to go to Iraq in a convoy. How¹s that for irony? Here we are, elated after winning the tournament, and now they have to dodge mortar fire and enemy combat. The tournament is over and now it¹s time to go back to work.
There were so many hugs and emotions today. My assistant coach during the tournament, Sergeant Major David Vreeland, has been in the military for 26 years and has seen and heard it all. It was a moving experience to work with an individual like him. I invited him to come to Bloomington, as well as a few of the soldiers, and maybe we could honor him some way for what he has given this country, his fellow soldiers and myself. I thanked him on behalf of Indiana University and the state of Indiana for a great week.
