April 27, 2006
COACHING IS THERAPEUTIC FOR LAURENTIAN'S SIDENBERG
SUDBURY - If Aaron Sidenberg had his choice, he wouldn't be coaching. That's not to say that the fourth-year Laurentian student doesn't love to be on the bench alongside the head man for the Voyageurs basketball team Virgil Hill. He would just rather be on the court. Sidenberg's university basketball career came to a premature end when patellar tendonitis in both of his knees forced him shut it down prior to the start of the 2005/06 season. With his passion for the game still strong, the Burlington, ON native did the next best thing - he put on a shirt and tie and helped lead the troops he used to play with on a daily basis.
"Virgil and I had talked through the summer," Sidenberg says. "I was hoping to come back. I just didn't heal enough.
"I wasn't quite sure how the transition from player to coach would go. But I was pleased how the veteran players accepted me."
While this step in his basketball life certainly came quicker than he anticipated, Sidenberg has wanted to coach for quite some time. He started to realize he had a knack for calling the shots as well as taking them back in high school. Sidenberg attended Nelson High in Burlington and as a senior, he volunteered his time to coach the midget team. Throughout high school, he ran programs at the local YMCA and for the past five years, he has been a counselor at the renowned Olympia Sports Camp in Ontario.
Being the guy teammates look to for direction has never been a problem for Sidenberg, who was captain of the Voyageurs in the 2004/05 Ontario University Athletics season.
"The transition was pretty natural for me," he says. "One of my strengths is that I feel I have the ability to lead a group in the right direction and bring out the best in them."
Sidenberg's knowledge and understanding of the game has increased noticeably in his year on the bench. He says that he now sees basketball from an entirely different perspective, focusing in on aspects of the game that he never paid much attention to as a player.
"Watching as a coach, you see the bigger picture," he says. "You make adjustments to help all 10 guys rather than just worrying about your own position."
The experience has also taught Sidenberg how to balance a chaotic schedule. The Sport and Physical Education student has a full course load in addition to working with the Voyageurs, so he's had to pay particular attention to time management. Sidenberg has found the time to get his NCCP level 1 coaching certification in his main sport, in addition to completing various levels in soccer, volleyball, rock climbing and canoeing, with more certification planned. According to Sidenberg, it's all very "doable."
In terms of responsibilities with the team, he was an "extra set of eyes" for Hill, while also having the opportunity to work one-on-one with his former teammates
"I felt like I was actually more involved this year," he says.
Hill has been a great source of inspiration for Sidenberg, who says he would definitely like the opportunity to take over a high school program at some point in the future. The head coach's ability to know exactly where he wants his team to go is something that the former Laurentian captain sees as an important quality within that important leadership position. Hill is a role model for the young coach as he eagerly prepares to enter the next facet of his life in basketball.
But there have been some rough moments throughout the season. Having to give up playing has understandably taken an emotional toll on Sidenberg. He says that staying within the game has been therapeutic in getting him through the ordeal. In Laurentian's season opener, an 85-82 win at York, the juices began flowing again.
"I stepped into the gym at York and it brought back so many memories of playing," he says. "I could feel the tension. Not so much the pressure but just the excitement."
Sidenberg wants to get back to the point where he can play some recreation ball but as of right now, he still feels pain in his knees. So lacing up the shoes will have to wait. Sidenberg has no problem with that. He's found that teaching the game he loves is as rewarding as hauling down a crucial rebound or making that clutch shot.
"I definitely miss playing," he says. "You want to be on the floor with your players. But there's a whole new level of excitement with coaching.
"It's just the uniform you wear that changes."
- OUA -
(Photo: Aaron Sidenberg has swapped his shorts and shoes for a shirt tie after joining the coaching staff for the Laurentian Voyageurs basketball team. File photo.)
In conjunction with Ontario Coaches Week from April 22 to 29, Ontario University Athletics will profile league coaches on a daily basis. This is the fourth of a five-part series, highlighting the contributions of dedicated coaches in a variety of OUA sports.
Visit http://www.coachesontario.ca/coachweek/ for more information on Ontario Coaches Week.
"Virgil and I had talked through the summer," Sidenberg says. "I was hoping to come back. I just didn't heal enough.
"I wasn't quite sure how the transition from player to coach would go. But I was pleased how the veteran players accepted me."
While this step in his basketball life certainly came quicker than he anticipated, Sidenberg has wanted to coach for quite some time. He started to realize he had a knack for calling the shots as well as taking them back in high school. Sidenberg attended Nelson High in Burlington and as a senior, he volunteered his time to coach the midget team. Throughout high school, he ran programs at the local YMCA and for the past five years, he has been a counselor at the renowned Olympia Sports Camp in Ontario.
Being the guy teammates look to for direction has never been a problem for Sidenberg, who was captain of the Voyageurs in the 2004/05 Ontario University Athletics season.
"The transition was pretty natural for me," he says. "One of my strengths is that I feel I have the ability to lead a group in the right direction and bring out the best in them."
Sidenberg's knowledge and understanding of the game has increased noticeably in his year on the bench. He says that he now sees basketball from an entirely different perspective, focusing in on aspects of the game that he never paid much attention to as a player.
"Watching as a coach, you see the bigger picture," he says. "You make adjustments to help all 10 guys rather than just worrying about your own position."
The experience has also taught Sidenberg how to balance a chaotic schedule. The Sport and Physical Education student has a full course load in addition to working with the Voyageurs, so he's had to pay particular attention to time management. Sidenberg has found the time to get his NCCP level 1 coaching certification in his main sport, in addition to completing various levels in soccer, volleyball, rock climbing and canoeing, with more certification planned. According to Sidenberg, it's all very "doable."
In terms of responsibilities with the team, he was an "extra set of eyes" for Hill, while also having the opportunity to work one-on-one with his former teammates
"I felt like I was actually more involved this year," he says.
Hill has been a great source of inspiration for Sidenberg, who says he would definitely like the opportunity to take over a high school program at some point in the future. The head coach's ability to know exactly where he wants his team to go is something that the former Laurentian captain sees as an important quality within that important leadership position. Hill is a role model for the young coach as he eagerly prepares to enter the next facet of his life in basketball.
But there have been some rough moments throughout the season. Having to give up playing has understandably taken an emotional toll on Sidenberg. He says that staying within the game has been therapeutic in getting him through the ordeal. In Laurentian's season opener, an 85-82 win at York, the juices began flowing again.
"I stepped into the gym at York and it brought back so many memories of playing," he says. "I could feel the tension. Not so much the pressure but just the excitement."
Sidenberg wants to get back to the point where he can play some recreation ball but as of right now, he still feels pain in his knees. So lacing up the shoes will have to wait. Sidenberg has no problem with that. He's found that teaching the game he loves is as rewarding as hauling down a crucial rebound or making that clutch shot.
"I definitely miss playing," he says. "You want to be on the floor with your players. But there's a whole new level of excitement with coaching.
"It's just the uniform you wear that changes."
- OUA -
(Photo: Aaron Sidenberg has swapped his shorts and shoes for a shirt tie after joining the coaching staff for the Laurentian Voyageurs basketball team. File photo.)
In conjunction with Ontario Coaches Week from April 22 to 29, Ontario University Athletics will profile league coaches on a daily basis. This is the fourth of a five-part series, highlighting the contributions of dedicated coaches in a variety of OUA sports.
Visit http://www.coachesontario.ca/coachweek/ for more information on Ontario Coaches Week.
