CINCINNATI — It's the dream of Ohio high school basketball players to make their way to UD Arena for the state championship game.
For one assistant coach this weekend, it's a chance to come home to her college playing court and help another team find success.
Leslie Sickles makes sure her voice is heard during practice for the Princeton lady Vikings.
The first-year assistant head coach is familiar with the game, she played in high school, college and has coached at the high school level for many years. But this weekend, will be a first for her.
“I kept telling the girls, ‘C’mon ya’ll, you have to take me home,’” Sickles said. “And they’re like what? And I’m like, ‘Ya’ll have to take me home.’ And they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, we’re playing at UD.’ And I’m like, ‘Yes, please take me home.’ They’re like, ‘Okay coach, we got you.’”
Sickles was a forward for the Dayton Flyers in the early 2000s. Now, she gets to coach on the same floor she played on.
Sickles was a forward for the Dayton Flyers in the early 2000s. Now, she gets to coach on the same floor she played on.
“It’s going to feel amazing," she said. "It’s going to be like a full-circle moment for me to pay there and now to come back to coach a great team. I’m looking forward to it. I think just walking down the tunnel, I just can’t wait.”
Sickles is described by head coach Dee Davis as a player’s coach-someone these young girls can look up to.
“The kids love her, they adore her,” Davis said. “She’s the fun coach that the kids really identify with and can relate to. She’s the one that will do TikToks with them. She’ll listen to them, but she’ll also kick them in the butt when they need that.”
The experience of both Sickles and Davis, who played at Vanderbilt and later in the WNBA, is something that makes this team ready to compete.
“I think the understanding that we’re not just someone that’s rolling the ball out to you and telling you to do stuff,” Davis said. “We’ve actually lived it. We understand what it means.”
For Sickles, this buildup has been special. And she’s hopeful to get one more win on the court that means so much to her.
“That would be an amazing experience and memory," Sickles said. "You know, being an athlete, we always want to make it to this level to win a state championship. I don’t even know how I’m going to feel. I’m probably going to shed a little tear and it will be okay. But it will be happy tears!”
Princeton takes on Pickerington Central in the Division I state championship on Saturday night at 8:30 at UD Arena. You can catch the action right here on Spectrum News 1.
