Eric Flannery Named Head Coach Of USA Basketball's 2010 Men's Youth Olympic Games Team

April 28, 2010 - Portland, Ore.

Eric Flannery, head coach at St. Edward High School in Cleveland, Ohio, today was named head mentor for the 2010 USA Basketball Men's Youth Olympic Games Team. The Inaugural Youth Olympic Games will feature a 3-on-3 men's basketball competition August 14-26 in Singapore that includes 20 teams from 19 nations, organized by the International Olympic Committee and FIBA.

Flannery is a long-time member of the USA Basketball Developmental National Team Committee (2001-2012) who has compiled a 258-81 overall record (.761 winning percentage) in 14 seasons (1996-97 to present) with the St. Edward Eagles.

'Having been a part of the USA Basketball Developmental Committee for the past ten years, I have always felt a great sense of pride and honor in what USA Basketball represents,' Flannery said. 'Now that I am getting the opportunity to coach, it has given me an even greater sense honor. To me, any time you can represent your country and what we stand for, that is the pinnacle of any profession.'

Players for the 2010 USA Men's Youth Olympic Games Team are selected by the USA Basketball Men's Developmental Committee, which is chaired in a non-voting position by Sean Ford, the USA Basketball Men's National Team Director.

'Eric has a tremendous history in Ohio coaching high school boy's basketball,' Ford said. 'He certainly has the skills to coach a 3-on-3 competition, which will be a new challenge for USA Basketball, and he also possesses the ability to help this team understand the spirit and purpose for which these games are being played.'

Winning his first Ohio Division I state title in 1998, Flannery has led St. Edward to six appearances in the state tournament final four and to the state title game in 2008.

In 2009-10, he led St. Edward to the regional final (state quarterfinal) and a 20-4 record.

Additionally, Flannery was an assistant coach in the 2008 Jordan Brand Classic and was head coach of the victorious West Team in the 2010 McDonald's All-American Game.

Flannery graduated from St. Edward at 18 years old and immediately became an assistant coach for his alma mater. He served in that role for five years while attending Cleveland State University and was promoted to head coach upon graduation.

Youth Olympic Games

Scheduled to take place every four years, the inaugural Youth Olympic Games men's and women's 3-on-3 basketball competition will feature a total of 40 teams from 38 different countries.

The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games are expected to include as many as 5,000 athletes and officials participating from 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), along with an estimated 1,200 media representatives, 20,000 local and international volunteers and more than 500,000 spectators. Athletes 14 to 18 years old are eligible to compete in 26 sports and take part in a culture and education program.

USA Basketball

Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men's and women's basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the United States by the FIBA and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA sponsored international basketball competitions, as well as for some national competitions.