Pia Portrait

In partnership with the USOC, artist Jamie Franki, an Associate Professor of Art at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, is collecting photographs and quotations from all the Team USA coaches whose athletes medaled in Olympic and Paralympic competition in Beijing. He is using the photographs to create commemorative portraits of each coach. The coach’s name, their Olympic event, a hand-drawn portrait and a quotation about their Olympic coaching experience are combined on 4’ x 12’ banners. The commemorative banners will travel the United States as a benefit exhibition. Booking fees will benefit Team USA. Franki is also the designer of the Order of Ikkos medal, which was presented to the U.S. coaches whose teams won gold medals in Beijing. Coaches do not get medals in the Olympics, only players, so the USOC thought it proper to create a medal for the head coaches as well. Pia's excellent portrait is hand-articulated colored pencil drawing.

In case you can't read it, Pia's quote for the banner was: "One of the things I am most proud of about our run to the Olympic gold medal was creating an environment on the team in which the players and the staff brought out the best performance in each other. Soccer is a team sport and a player's sport. The gold medal was a victory for team effort, teamwork and team spirit."

Well said, Pia, well said.