Graduating players bring basketball expertise to the Wolves’ coaching staff

Dasia McDonald’s commitment to basketball is taking her from the court to the sidelines as one of two former players helping to coach the Wolves women’s team this season with head coach Jaime McLean and assistant coach Nour Abdullah.

McDonald played as a point guard for the Algonquin Wolves for four years. Now, she is stepping onto the court with a new kind of authority.

McDonald was promoted to assistant coach this season. Joining her on the coaching staff is Sydney Moore, who played for five years as a guard for the Wolves.

Inspired by McDonald and Moore’s dedication to the team, strong game analysis and empowering leadership qualities, McLean asked them to join the coaching staff this year.

“They are exceptional leaders and young women who will be very impactful on the next generation of Wolves,” McLean wrote in an email to the Times.

McLean said the two used to joke they would join the coaching staff after graduating from college. He was determined to make that dream a reality.

Last season McDonald ranked No. 1 in the Ontario Colleges Athlete Association (OCAA) stats package for assists at 70, steals at 65 and three-point shooting percentage at 40. She also averaged 5.8 rebounds per game.

Her overall shooting average of 55.1 per cent placed her second and she was fourth in points-per-game average at 16.4.

“I always wanted to be a coach and wanted to get more experience. So having this chance to coach with Jaime, along with Syd and Nour, was an amazing opportunity,” McDonald said.

Growing up, McDonald played on several teams, from the Nepean Blue Devils to her high school team at St. Mother Teresa, and then as point guard for the Algonquin Wolves. She credits the many coaches who have been role models as she steps into her new position as assistant coach. Her mission is to inspire other young athletes to reach their full potential.

“As much as it’s weird coaching them, I still want to give as much feedback as I can. They’re amazing girls, and they all listen to constructive criticism. That’s what we keep doing. We all want the same goal at the end of the day,” she said.

This year, about 11 players graduated from the college and left the team to pursue full-time careers. McDonald said she was saddened by the loss of key players and close friends but proud of what the team accomplished in remaining undefeated for the past three regular seasons.

She’s excited for her peers as they move into new stages of life and is hopeful the new team will thrive this season as long as players stay motivated and don’t succumb to pressure.

“It was an emotional year, but we grew so much, not just as players but individually,” McDonald said.

“We have nurses now, doctors, nursing licences — everyone’s starting their career. So having that bond over basketball was amazing.”

Moore played as a guard for the Wolves for four years. She played for McLean during her club season at Arnprior District High School before enrolling at Algonquin.

“When I was approaching my fifth year, when I was going to graduate, I told Jaime I wanted to come back because I love the culture, I love basketball. I wanted to stay involved in basketball in some way for the rest of my life,” Moore said.

“That was always the plan for me. I started coaching when I was young, back in my hometown with kids under age 10 and then kind of moved up from there,” she said.

Like McDonald, Moore is also saddened by the loss of players since many have graduated. It’s the first time, she said, the team has had that many graduating students since she joined. Despite the change, she’s enjoyed seeing new faces and is excited to train the team’s new recruits.

“All of the girls are great. They’re all willing to learn and eager to play, which I think is really important. It’s one thing to have good basketball players. It’s also about having good people, building that culture and being role models for others in the community.”

Moore appreciated the team’s strong morale most during her time as a player. As a coach, she hopes to exude the same positive, team-spirited environment she experienced.

During her first two years on the team, assistant coaches Elizabeth Roach and Abeer Farat often took time to recognize Moore’s strengths and weaknesses as a player and gave her advice on how to hone her skills and become an asset on the court.

“I’ve tried to channel a little bit of the coaches (Roach and Farat) in that sense, to bring to the girls this year, just communicating with them the way I appreciated having someone communicate with me,” she said.

In addition to her assistant coaching role, Moore works as an ER nurse. She balances shift work with part-time coaching and said she’s grateful to have McDonald by her side to take over when she needs time to adjust. The two have been close friends for years and will make a powerful team this season.