PARDUBICE (FIBA Europe Cup) - Long-time player and current Pardubice head coach Levell Sanders is one of the FIBA Europe Cup participants we asked to reflect on 2016 before it ends and look ahead at the year to come.

Having swapped his playing shoes for a clipboard less than a year ago, the 41-year-old play-caller has dealt with new challenges remarkably well, helping Pardubice achieve a third-place finish in Czech Republic last season and now guiding the young roster to the FIBA Europe Cup Second Round.

FIBA.com: If you had to single out the most important personal experiences of 2016, which would you choose?
It was an interesting year for me. Early in 2016, I retired from playing and became a head coach. During the the summer, I was able to go to the States and speak with my former coach at Seton Hall University, Tommy Amaker, who is now the head coach at Harvard University. I also had an opportunity to speak with my former Seton Hall teammates Danny Hurley, now a head coach at University of Rhode Island, and Shaheen Holloway, who is an assistant coach at Seton Hall. I was able to get a lot of information about coaching.

FIBA.com: What will be your New Year's resolutions? 
I do not make New Year's resolutions. I try and live my life to the fullest. We are not perfect, so I don't try to be. I will make mistakes, but I will learn from them and be better.

FIBA.com: How do you plan to spend New Year's Eve and New Year's Day? 
New Year's Eve will be the same for me as it's been for the last eight years I've been with my wife. We will stay up long enough to toast with each other, watch some fireworks and then go to bed. I have practice on New Year's Day, so there's not going to be anything big.

FIBA.com: If you were told that you get to fulfill one big dream or one big wish of yours in 2017, what would you choose?
I would bring health and peace to the world!

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