The Triangle

Issue date: 1/18/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: The Triangle Photo Library Brian Schiff, an Emmy Award-winning producer at Comcast SportsNet led the U.S. Junior Maccabi Team (16 and under) to their fifth straight international gold medal.

He may be better recognized as an Emmy Award-winning producer for the Daily News Live show on Comcast SportsNet. But something for which he should be known is how he has coached the United States basketball team to five straight international gold medals.

Brian Schiff, head coach of the USA Junior Maccabi Team (16 and under) since 1999, earned his fifth gold medal in as many tries.

The most recent of those came in the Gold Medal game at the 2007 Pan Am Maccabi Games in Argentina, as the Junior Boys' USA Team beat Canada 63-51, Dec. 31, 2007.

The U.S. Juniors team also won the previous four international games, including the Pan Am Maccabi Games in Mexico City (1999) and Chile (2003), and the World Maccabiah Games in Israel (2001, 2005).

The Maccabi Games are an Olympic-style competition for Jewish athletes from all over the world.

"As someone involved with athletics, there could be no greater feeling than representing your country and American Judaism at an international sporting event," Schiff said. "It is an incredible honor on many different levels."

Schiff, called "Shifty" by coworkers and friends, discussed the best aspect of coaching in the Maccabi Games.

"Feeling that I have an impact on the lives of kids and exposing them to a positive Jewish activity … [is] a great feeling, knowing that everyone who is competing is Jewish and that the level of play is extremely high. It slashes the stereotype of the non-athletic, nerdy Jewish person," Schiff said.

Most Jewish athletes participating in the games are not very observant, but participating in the international gives them a stronger connection to Judaism, according to Schiff.

"Most are from secular backgrounds with little Jewishness in their lives or from non-Jewish areas," Schiff said. "This gives them an extremely positive aspect of Judaism to which they can relate. I've heard a million times, 'I had no idea there were so many other good Jewish basketball players.'"

Although Schiff has had international success, this isn't his first stint with basketball.

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