Brynjar Karl Sigurðsson

Brynjar Karl Sigurðsson (born 17 September 1973) is an Icelandic businessman, basketball coach and former player. He played several seasons in the Icelandic top-tier Úrvalsdeild karla and was a member of the Icelandic national team. Following his basketball career, he founded the company Sideline Sports which designed coaching software used by the Premier League, NBA and the NFL.[1][2] A controversial figure in Iceland, he has been scrutinized for his coaching methods[3] and fight with the Icelandic Basketball Association to let his junior women's team compete in boys tournaments.[4][5][6][7] In February 2021, the documentary Raise the bar which follows him and his girls teams, premiered in Iceland.[8]

Brynjar Karl Sigurðsson
Aþena
PositionHead coach
League1. deild kvenna
Personal information
Born (1973-09-17) 17 September 1973 (age 51)
Reykjavík, Iceland
NationalityIcelandic
Listed height190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Listed weight82 kg (181 lb)
Career information
High schoolAssumption High School
CollegeUAM (1998–1999)
Playing career1989–2001
2009
PositionForward
Career history
As player:
1989–1991ÍR
1992Valur
1992–1993Breiðablik
1993–1994Valur
1994–1995ÍA
1995–1996Valur
1996–1997ÍA
1997–1998Valur
1999–2000ÍA
2000Valur
2001ÍA
2009FSu
As coach:
2001ÍA
2005–2009FSu
2021–presentAþena
Career Úrvalsdeild karla statistics
Points2,115 (13.1 ppg)
Rebounds437 (4.0 rpg)
Games162

Early life

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Brynjar was born in Breiðholt, Reykjavík in 1973. He started training basketball at the age of 9.[2]

Basketball career

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Club career

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Brynjar spent most of his career with Valur and ÍA. In 1996, he was slated to play for freshly promoted KFÍ during the 1996–97 season[9] but he eventually signed back with ÍA.[10] In January 2001, Brynjar transferred from Valur to ÍA, which by then was playing in the second-tier 1. deild karla.[11] He appeared in four games the rest of the season, averaging 27.3 points per game.[12] The following season, he averaged 32.2 points in five games as a player-coach.[13] He resigned in December the same year due to unpaid salary from the club.[14]

In 2009, Brynjar had a short comeback in with FSu, for whom he was the head coach, when he scored 20 points in a loss against Snæfell.[15]

National team career

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Brynjar played 11 games for the Icelandic national team from 1994 to 1995.[16]

Coaching career

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In May 2001, Brynjar was hired as a player-coach for ÍA.[17] He resigned in December the same year due to unpaid salary.[14] In 2005, he founded the FSu basketball academy in Selfoss.[18] In 2008, he guided the team to promotion to the top-tier Úrvalsdeild karla after beating Valur in the 1. deild karla promotion playoffs.[19]

In 2021, he became the head coach of 1. deild kvenna club Aþena.[20] In 2024, he guided the team to promotion to the top-tier Úrvalsdeild kvenna for the first time.[21]

Handball career

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In 2011, Brynjar was selected to Valur's roster for its game against Akureyri in the Icelandic Handball Cup finals despite never having played professional handball before.[22] The game plan was for him to see spot minutes as a defender in the first half but due to Valur playing a man short for an extended amount of time, he eventually did not see any playing time in Valur's 26–24 win.[23]

Executive career

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In October 2021, Brynjar was announced as the new chairman of Leiknir's basketball department.[24]

References

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  1. ^ Sigurður Elvar Þórólfsson (19 November 2007). "LeBron James er leikgreindur á Selfossi". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b Pétur Blöndal (19 February 2012). "Þessi stórkostlega þjáning". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). pp. 16–17. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  3. ^ Einar Þorsteinsson; Róbert Jóhannsson (18 February 2021). "Þarft að vita hvar línan er og byggja upp traust". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  4. ^ Jakob Bjarnar (18 February 2021). "Brynjar þjálfari hvetur Viðar prófessor til að vinna heimavinnuna". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  5. ^ Valur Páll Eiríksson (22 May 2019). "Málið litið alvarlegum augum innan KKÍ". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  6. ^ Henry Birgir Gunnarsson (22 May 2019). "Fréttaskýring: Hvað gerir umdeildasti körfuboltaþjálfari landsins næst?". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  7. ^ Ágúst Borgþór Sverrisson (14 February 2021). "Kjaftstopp yfir framferði liðsins og þá sérstaklega þjálfarans". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  8. ^ Kristín Ólafsdóttir (18 February 2021). ""Umdeildasti körfuboltaþjálfari landsins" og stelpurnar hans". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Brynjar Karl til Ísafjarðar". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 11 June 1996. p. 8B. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Brynjar með ÍA". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). 12 August 1996. p. 21. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Brynjar Karl til Noregs". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 10 February 2001. p. B1. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  12. ^ "2000-2001 1. deild karla - ÍA" (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Association.
  13. ^ "2001-2002 1. deild karla - ÍA" (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Association. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Slæmur skellur hjá ÍA". Skessuhorn (in Icelandic). 20 December 2001. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  15. ^ "Brynjar Karl tók fram keppnisskóna". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 14 November 2009. p. E3. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  16. ^ "A landslið". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Association. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Brynjar í stað Brynjars". Skessuhorn (in Icelandic). 10 May 2001. p. 14. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  18. ^ "FIBA styrkir íslenskan þjálfunarhugbúnað". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 14 February 2006. p. 20. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  19. ^ "FSu í úrvalsdeildina í körfu karl". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 2 April 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  20. ^ Jóhann Ingi Hafþórsson (5 July 2021). "Fjandsamlegt umhverfi fyrir nýja klúbba". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  21. ^ Jóhann Ingi Hafþórsson (9 May 2024). "Brynjar fer sínar eigin leiðir". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  22. ^ "Með körfuboltakappa í hópnum". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 28 February 2011. p. 24. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  23. ^ "Brynjar Karl Sigurðsson". Fréttablaðið (in Icelandic). 28 February 2011. p. 24. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  24. ^ Ingvi Þór Sæmundsson (1 October 2021). "Brynjar Karl aftur heim til Leiknis". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2 October 2021.
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