Havana, Cuba, June 18, 2009 - Luis Felipe Calderon, former head coach of the Cuban Women's National Team, passed away on Wednesday after a long illness. He was 57.

Calderon played for the men's national team in the 1970s before retiring and embarking on a coaching career with teams at different age levels. In the early 1990s he joined the staff of the senior team, a position he held until last year when he became ill.

Calderon shared coaching duties with Eugenio George when the national team won the gold medal at the "Morenas del Caribe" at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, third place at Athens 2004, and gold at the 2002 World Championships in Germany and Japan 2006.

His last participation in the sport to which he dedicated most of his life with enthusiasm and dedication came last year at the Boris Yeltsin and Pan American Cups in Russia and Mexico, respectively.

Calderon is survived by his wife and coach of the women's national team, Hilda Harry, as well as his daughter, Rosir, who is a standout attacker with the senior squad and bronze medalist in Athens.