The Roving Reporter

'Just gold'

Posted by: Amy Reiter

Friday, September 12, 2008 7:09 PM

University of Illinois women's basketball head coach Patricia Cisneros has taken to the court as a player for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. On Friday, she helped the U.S. team beat the Chinese team 75-31. A few days earlier, she took a few moments to e-mail The News-Gazette.

News-Gazette: Have you been to the Games before?

Patricia Cisneros: I played in 2000 (Sydney) and 2004 (Athens).

NG: Did you work with the UI researchers on improving technology for Paralympic athletes? How did you help with the research, and how did the research help with your performance?

PC: My athletes at U of I participated in a research study about shoulder pain in female wheelchair users.The researchers do not have the results yet.

NG: How does it feel to have so many University of Illinois-affiliated people at the Games?

PC: Amazing and proud.

NG: Will it be competitive since the athletes represent several countries, or more fun because of that?

PC: Very competitive. We are playing at elite levels. This is strictly business. We want to win gold.

NG: When did you arrive?

PC: Aug. 31.

NG: What has struck you about Beijing or the Chinese culture?

PC: Great attention to detail.

NG: What do you think of the athletic facilities?

PC: Awesome and very organized.

NG: What is the environment behind the scenes at the Games?

PC: Energetic and anxious.

NG: Besides winning, do you have any personal goals for the Games?

PC: Just gold.

NG: What are the skills it takes to be a champion wheelchair basketball player -- or team?

PC: Teamwork, fundamentals and great defense.

NG: What should people know about the Paralympic Games that they might not know already?

PC: Paralympics means "parallel to" the Olympics and are very much as competitive.

Read about her latest match at http://paralympics.teamusa.org/news/article/6698 or and check out The News-Gazette for upcoming Paralympics-related stories.

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