New ESCLAMS recruit, Aidan Dalsbaek gave us an interview. The opportunity for him to talk about his arrival in Longueau and his past experiences.
What motivated you to come to Longueau?
It was a fairly simple choice when I was offered it because the team’s project interests me a lot. It’s a team with young people and during my exchange with the coach I felt that he was really there to develop the players while winning matches. It’s something that fits my profile because I’m young and I still have a lot of room for improvement in several areas of my game.
You evolved in NM3, the fact of passing a course was also an objective?
Yes, it also allows me to take a step forward with the discovery of NM2. It’s in line with last season knowing that when I returned from the United States I already wanted to evolve at this level. Finally I had not found a project that suited me at this level so I joined the beautiful Lyon project in NM3. All last season one of my goals was to shine to be able to get this style of proposal and know where I was in relation to the level in France. It’s a real challenge for me in my progress and to prove myself.
It’s a real challenge for me in my progress and to prove myself.
You went through the United States, what did that bring you?
From a sporting point of view, it brought me a lot of rigor because there basketball is another world. There is a completely different mentality. In terms of training volume and number of matches it’s different with 3 sessions per day and 2 matches per week. So it prompted me to take even more care of my body and pay attention to every detail. I inevitably progressed enormously by taking advantage of the 3 daily sessions with a collective session, an individual and a bodybuilding session. I was able to take a step forward in my game because I was really fixed on my shoot before, and there I was able to expand my game. As a person it makes you grow enormously. I had to leave my family, my friends and my cocoon to go to an unknown and very different place. I also learned English which is very important too. I also learned about myself because I had to make sacrifices to get there. So it was a positive experience and a dream that I fulfilled by going there.
Is it a disappointment not to have been able to go to the end of this adventure?
It was not expected that I return immediately so it is a disappointment in the sense that I would have liked to go to the end of this adventure. It was a dream to join the USA and after my year I managed to get a scholarship to join a parallel league in the NCA where we find a very good level, but where these are players who do not have had good academic results to be eligible for the NCA. But with the Covid, things got complicated, especially since I had personal problems. I had to go back for a few weeks and then leave, but I had to stay. When I wanted to leave it was more complicated with the pandemic and I then weighed the pros and cons of staying in France or leaving. I then made the choice to stay here.
In the future is it a goal to go back there?
Not necessarily a goal because today I see less in the long term but I take each day as an opportunity. I live a little from day to day and there I am engaged with Longueau. I am 110% in the project and the objective is in the short term by trying to do everything to be efficient with the club. I am exclusively focused on Longueau and I do not think of a return to the USA.
I take every day as an opportunity
The work provided by the coach last year, especially with young people, motivated your choice?
Yes, this clearly motivates and helps highlight the work of the coach. When I spoke with him and he explained the project and the recruitment to me, I was immediately convinced and motivated to replace the players who left. It’s rare that young players can move up to the next level without a lot of experience, so the work done last year was good. The coach has my confidence completely and I hope to shine as much as them.
How would you define the type of gamer that you are?
I am above all a shooter but I have evolved since my time in the United States where I have improved a lot in defense. I take great pleasure in defending and being present on both sides of the field. I always give my all on both sides of the court.
What are your goals for the coming season?
I have set myself the goal that there is no drop in speed when I am on the field because I will come off the bench. I want to be as efficient as possible and to perform as well as possible in the role entrusted to me. I want to bring my stone to the building to help the team win. Then I want to try to have more and more responsibilities and show the coach that he can trust me. I don’t want to just get off the bench and I want to be the best at my job.
Photo Credit: ESCLAMS
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