NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Dagan Nelson, the head coach of the men's basketball team at the State University of New York at New Paltz, helped mentor an eight-man USA Athletes International (USAAI) squad from May 28 through June 6 in three Spanish cities.

Nelson, who coached for the USAAI for the second straight year, took his group through Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia over an eight-day span.

“In 2009, we went to Croatia, Bosnia and Italy,” Nelson said. “It was great to be able to tour around Spain this summer and have the student-athletes experience all of the wonders of the Spanish culture.”

Nelson spearheaded the recruiting effort for the team and wound up piecing together an eight-man roster that included undergraduate college players from NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and the NAIA. Two of the eight student-athletes, sophomore guard Harris Wichard (Merrick, N.Y.) and freshman guard Nick Taldi (Merrick, N.Y.), represented New Paltz, and Nelson said that the experience they had will pay dividends down the road.

“I know that Harris and Nick definitely strengthened their understanding and appreciation of teamwork and selflessness,” Nelson said. “This experience will help them down the road as well, as they really gained an appreciation for different types of people and cultures.”

Taldi, participating in the program for the first time, said that he drew inspiration from the Spanish players' attitudes.

“It was a great experience seeing how they approached the game of basketball,” Taldi said. “They treated the game with respect and had a lot of fun playing it.”

For the second straight year, Wichard accompanied Nelson overseas to play on the USAAI team. He said that experiencing the Spanish culture and their approach to basketball was a refreshing affair.

“The people were really nice in Spain,” Wichard said. “They treated us like we were a really big deal and appreciated us coming to play. They have the right approach in going about the game.”

A typical day would start with breakfast at the hotel. Both the men's and women's teams representing the United States through USAAI would then go out and partake in sightseeing excursions. Later on in the afternoon, the student-athletes would lace up and take to the court, competing against Spanish teams.

His contingent fared well on the hardwood, as it assembled a perfect 5-0 record and received medals after capturing its final victory of the trip.

“The European players were great,” Nelson said. “They were so enamored with American basketball; our guys wound up signing autographs after our game against Emba, a club team from L'Alcudia.”

Taldi noted that the Spanish players as a whole had admiration for American basketball.

“They treated American basketball like royalty,” Taldi said. “The respect they had for us was great.”

Those involved took home a more intimate appreciation for the Spanish culture.

“It was incredible seeing what it was like to be around different cultures,” Taldi said. “We were walking around all of these markets in Barcelona, and you realize how they do things there as opposed to here in America. You hear about all of these different Spanish attractions, and to see them in person was great.”

Wichard said that the Spaniards fostered a “family atmosphere.”

“It definitely felt like you were a part of a family,” Wichard said. “They had so much respect for us and our culture. It's all about embracing other cultures and not necessarily thinking about the way you would do things in America.”

Both Nelson and Wichard recommend similar programs to student-athletes.

“The experience of traveling abroad with others who share a similar passion for basketball is unbelievable,” Nelson said. “If you can be a part of it as a student-athlete, it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Wichard reiterated Nelson's expression of the value of international competition.

“It's really a great experience meeting new people,” Wichard said. “Every athlete should take the opportunity to play their sport overseas at least once.”

Originally called the Midwest All-Stars, USAAI has been providing overseas playing opportunities to athletes in all sports since 1992. In 1998, the organization incorporated and received its 501 (c)(3) non-profit status, changing its name to USA Athletes International. USAAI now supports a total of 15 different sports that compete in 25 different countries throughout the world.