Miloslav Kříž

Miloslav Kříž (29 May 1924 – 20 May 2013) was a Czech professional basketball player, coach and executive. As a player, he played first for Uncas Praha, and later for Sparta Praha, but he was better known as a head coach and trainer, especially as the head coach of the senior Czechoslovak women's national team. He was awarded the FIBA Order of Merit, for his services to basketball, in 2002.

Coaching career While still a player at Sparta Praha, Kříž began coaching both the club's women's team (from 1945), and men's team (from 1947). He finished in both of those roles in 1950, moving on to coach ATK Praha, for one season. In 1953, he returned to Sparta Praha, coaching the women's team for 11 years.

Basketball administration Czechoslovakia Kříž was also active in a variety of basketball organisations. Within Czechoslovakia, he was a member of the board of the Czechoslovak Volleyball and Basketball Federation (1946–51), President of DSO Spartak (1953–56), and leader of the Czechoslovak Basketball Federation's International Commission (1956–68). From 1973 until 1986, he was President of the Czech Basketball Federation, and Vice-President of the Czechoslovak Basketball Federation. From 1990 until 1993, he was the President of Sparta Prague, and made Honorary President thereafter.

FIBA Internationally, Kříž held a number of positions within FIBA. He was a member of staff for the FIBA Europe European zone, from 1956–68, and again from 1973–80, as well as a member of the FIBA European Cups commission, from 1972–76 and from 1990–94. From 1980–90, he was a member of FIBA World, and President of the Women's Commission, and from 1994 until 2000, he was FIBA Commissioner, presiding over 678 games in total.

Later career Between 1970 and 1985, Kříž was the chief of the sports section at the Czechoslovak Press Agency. In his later career, he practiced law.