EricLA
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The greatest coach in the history of women's college basketball, Geno Auriemma, was born March 23, 1954 in Montella, Italy. Montella is a small, hardworking town located in the province of Avellino in the Campania region of Italy. It has endured for centuries thanks to its inexorable spirit, toughness and resilience, qualities also embodied by Geno.
Coach is a young 66 years old now. Happy Birthday, Coach!
Biography of Geno
I found a great biography of him on line if anyone wants to read it. One excerpt from the beginning of the article:
Biography
He's the guy everyone loves … that is, until he gives it to you straight, and then you hate him for it. But underneath the anger you know what he’s saying is true.
Candid, honest, blunt—they certainly describe Auriemma, but they’re just labels. Auriemma transcends all of that—he’s at the helm of the vanguard that continues to transform women’s basketball. Actually, “women’s basketball” is a term that has never sat well with Auriemma. After all, he doesn’t coach women. He coaches basketball players.
The City That Shaped Him
Montella is a small, hardworking town located in the province of Avellino in the Campania region of Italy. It has endured for centuries thanks to its inexorable spirit, toughness and resilience—qualities also embodied by Luigi [Geno] Auriemma, who was born there on March 23, 1954.
Growing up in Montella with parents Donato and Marsiella and siblings Ferruccio and Anna wasn’t paradise in the traditional sense—running water, heat and electricity were considered luxuries, and the family had no phone, car or television. What they did have, and what has continued to be the foundation of his life and career, was love, honor and loyalty.
From birth, Auriemma was a natural leader; striving for excellence was firmly ingrained in his being. In fact, when his family immigrated to the United States in 1961, it wasn’t uncommon for 7-year-old Auriemma to help his parents make their mortgage payments or interact with lawyers.
Back in Italy, his first sports love was soccer. But lacking a soccer team to play on when the family settled in Norristown, Penn., he made the switch to America’s favorite pastime: baseball. He lived for it—the competition, the camaraderie, the team atmosphere.
Coach is a young 66 years old now. Happy Birthday, Coach!
Biography of Geno
I found a great biography of him on line if anyone wants to read it. One excerpt from the beginning of the article:
Biography
He's the guy everyone loves … that is, until he gives it to you straight, and then you hate him for it. But underneath the anger you know what he’s saying is true.
Candid, honest, blunt—they certainly describe Auriemma, but they’re just labels. Auriemma transcends all of that—he’s at the helm of the vanguard that continues to transform women’s basketball. Actually, “women’s basketball” is a term that has never sat well with Auriemma. After all, he doesn’t coach women. He coaches basketball players.
The City That Shaped Him
Montella is a small, hardworking town located in the province of Avellino in the Campania region of Italy. It has endured for centuries thanks to its inexorable spirit, toughness and resilience—qualities also embodied by Luigi [Geno] Auriemma, who was born there on March 23, 1954.
Growing up in Montella with parents Donato and Marsiella and siblings Ferruccio and Anna wasn’t paradise in the traditional sense—running water, heat and electricity were considered luxuries, and the family had no phone, car or television. What they did have, and what has continued to be the foundation of his life and career, was love, honor and loyalty.
From birth, Auriemma was a natural leader; striving for excellence was firmly ingrained in his being. In fact, when his family immigrated to the United States in 1961, it wasn’t uncommon for 7-year-old Auriemma to help his parents make their mortgage payments or interact with lawyers.
Back in Italy, his first sports love was soccer. But lacking a soccer team to play on when the family settled in Norristown, Penn., he made the switch to America’s favorite pastime: baseball. He lived for it—the competition, the camaraderie, the team atmosphere.
