USA Ultimate Announces Coaching Staff for 2017 World Games
Posted: November 2, 2016 09:37 AM
Colorado Springs, Colo. (November 2, 2016)—The tandem that led the U.S. National Team to a gold medal at the 2013 World Games is returning to coach the 2017 squad, USA Ultimate announced today.
Alexander Ghesquiere (Washington, D.C.) was selected to serve as head coach and will again be assisted by Matty Tsang (Oakland, Calif.).
The 2017 World Games are scheduled for July 20-30 in Wroclaw, Poland.
At the 2013 World Games in Cali, Colombia, Ghesquiere and Tsang led the U.S. National Team to a perfect 6-0 record, beating Australia 13-6 to win the gold medal.
Ghesquiere currently serves as head coach of Washington D.C. Scandal – one of the most dominant and decorated club teams in the nation. Ghesquiere coached Scandal to back-to-back national titles in the women’s division (2013-14) and a bronze medal at the 2014 WFDF World Ultimate Club Championships. An accomplished coach across the men’s, mixed and women’s divisions, Ghesquiere most recently led the U.S. National Team to a perfect 9-0 record and a world title in the men’s division at the 2016 WFDF World Ultimate & Guts Championships in London. He previously served as coach for San Francisco Revolver (2011-12) and San Francisco Zeitgeist (2008).
"I am very excited and proud to again be coaching Team U.S.A. with Matty at the World Games," commented Ghesquiere. "This tournament is unlike anything else on the ultimate calendar. The unique scope and elite level of teams competing make it the most challenging and rewarding international experience in ultimate. I hope to be part of another exemplary team that can bring home another gold medal."
Tsang returns to the sidelines as one of the most successful ultimate coaches ever. Known for his unprecedented run with San Francisco Fury, which he coached to seven straight national titles (2006-12) and a world title at the 2010 WFDF World Ultimate Club Championships, Tsang also led the U.S. National Team to a silver medal at the 2012 WFDF World Ultimate & Guts Championships.
In both 2013 and 2014, Tsang led Fury to a pair of silver medals at the USA Ultimate National Championships, both years falling to Ghesquiere’s Scandal in the finals. Tsang returned to the international stage in 2014, leading Fury to a silver medal at the 2014 WFDF World Ultimate Club Championships before announcing his retirement.
After a brief hiatus from the sport, Tsang returned to coach the U.S. National Team to a perfect 10-0 record and gold medal in the women’s division last summer at the WFDF World Ultimate & Guts Championships.
"It’s an honor to be offered this opportunity," said Tsang. "This event is truly like no other, and I look forward to working with Alex, USA Ultimate and the athletes to create a team that will represent the U.S.A. well both on and off the field."
Held every four years, the World Games is an 11-day international event that features more than 40 non-Olympic sports. For ultimate, it’s considered the pinnacle of the sport.
Ultimate has been included on the program since 2001 in Akita, Japan, where the U.S. won the silver medal. The U.S. has since been on a winning streak, capturing the gold medal at the 2005 (Duisburg, Germany), 2009 (Kaohsiung, Taipei) and 2013 (Cali, Colombia) editions.
Ghesquiere and Tsang were selected from a pool of seven outstanding applicants by an interview panel of USA Ultimate Coaching Committee members that included Will Deaver, Sangwha Hong and Dan Raabe.
Both Ghesquiere and Tsang will attend the inaugural USA Ultimate Coaching Symposium at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Nov. 5-6, where details regarding tryouts and athlete and support staff selection will be considered.
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