EDINBORO — Days after coaching one United States wheelchair basketball team to a gold medal, Jim Glatch is going to work on another.

The 1979 Butler graduate, entering his 15th season as wheelchair hoop coach at Edinboro University, returned home from Paris, France, last week. He coached the U.S. under-23 men's basketball team to the 2009 World Cup gold medal there.

One week before leaving for France, Glatch was named head coach of the U.S. adult men's wheelchair team, which will compete in the 2010 World Cup in England next summer.

"I'll be heading back down to Birmingham (Ala.) at the end of this month for the U.S. adult team tryout camp and start the process all over again," Glatch said.

He doesn't mind. He earned this gig.

Glatch was hired as the adult team coach after he led the under-23 team to a second-place finish at the Paralympic Cup in Manchester, England, earlier in the summer.

"That event featured the top four adult teams in the world," Glatch said. "Canada was ranked No. 2 in the world, but couldn't make it, so fifth-ranked Germany joined (No. 1) Australia, Great Britain and us.

"The other teams were mad at us when we arrived because they expected to see our adult team. They said our 'junior' team would be no match for them, the games wouldn't be competitive and they'd be wasting their time.

"Then we went out and beat Great Britain by 22 points and nobody said a word," Glatch added.

Glatch's U-23 team lost to Australia twice in that tournament, by eight and 22 points, respectively.

"Our guys were a little down about those losses until I explained that they just beat two of the best adult wheelchair teams in the world and were competitive against the best team in the world," Glatch said.

The performance of the U-23 team in that event landed Glatch the coaching post with the U.S. adult team.

"The United States didn't medal in the last two Paralympics," Glatch said. "I guess they felt it was time for a change."

Glatch selected his 12-player U-23 team during a 24-player tryout camp in April. Four of his players came from the University of Illinois, three from Wisconsin-Whitewater, two from Edinboro and one each from Missouri, Alabama and Texas-Arlington.

His wheelchair teams are based on defense and pressure.

"European teams play a lot of zone, so I was looking for guys who could shoot the ball," Glatch said. "I took about seven sharpshooters over there.

"I was also looking for guys who could play well with players they normally don't play with. That's big in any international competition."

When the World Cup tourney arrived earlier this month, Glatch's U-23 team was more than ready.

The U.S. squad cruised through its Pool B competition, defeating South Africa 74-18, Brazil 91-35, Malaysia 78-14 and Spain 81-40.

In the semifinals, Australia fell to the Americans by an 86-43 count. In the finals, the margin against Spain at halftime was only 10 points.

"We went on a 24-0 run to begin the second half and it was over," Glatch said of his team's 77-54 championship victory.

The U.S. finished 8-0 in winning the gold medal, but Glatch hardly has time to enjoy the victory.

Following the adult team tryout camp July 30 through Aug. 2, he will take his new team to Vancouver, British Columbia, Aug. 30 for a 2010 World Cup qualifier. The top three out of 12 teams there will gain World Cup berths.

Next year, the U.S. adult wheelchair team will play in three international tournaments, all geared toward the 2012 Paralympics.

"After Vancouver, I come come and begin working with my Edinboro team," Glatch said.

The busier, the better, as far as he's concerned.

"That's how you learn," he said. "Coaching this under-23 team showed me how to make adjustments for international play.

"You and your team have to adjust to a different culture along with adjusting to the competition and officiating. There are plenty of hurdles and learning experiences.

"But after going through this, I feel like I've got a head start on next year," Glatch added.