Ólöf Helga Pálsdóttir

Ólöf Helga Pálsdóttir Woods (born 24 May 1985) is an Icelandic professional basketball coach and a former member of the Icelandic national basketball team. She was a multi-sport athlete, playing several seasons in both the Icelandic top-tier basketball and football leagues. She won the national basketball championship in 2012 and the Icelandic Basketball Cup in 2008 and 2012.

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Ólöf Helga.
Ólöf Helga Pálsdóttir
Grindavík
PositionHead coach
League1. deild kvenna
Personal information
Born (1985-05-24) 24 May 1985
NationalityIcelandic
Listed height172 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Career information
Playing career1999–2018
PositionGuard
Number7
Coaching career2017–present
Career history
As player:
1999–2002Grindavík
2003–2009Grindavík
2009–2012Njarðvík
2012–2013Grindavík
2018Grindavík
As coach:
2017–2018Grindavík (assistant)
2018Grindavík
2018–2020Haukar
2020–presentGrindavík
Career highlights and awards
As player:

Basketball

Playing career

Ólöf came up through the junior ranks of Grindavík, playing her first games with the senior team during the 1999–2000 season. In December 2001, she helped Grindavík win the Icelandic Company Cup, the team's first major trophy since winning the national championship in 1997.[1][2] Her season was however cut short in March as she tore her anterior cruciate ligament, causing her to miss the playoffs.[3][4] She spent the 2002–03 season in the United States[5] but returned the following season, averaging 8.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in 19 games.[6]

After spending her entire career with Grindavík, Ólöf signed with newly promoted Njarðvík in July 2009.[4] She helped Njarðvík to the Úrvalsdeild finals in 2011 by knocking out top ranked Hamar in the semi-finals.[7] In the finals, Njarðvík was swept by Keflavík in three games.

On 18 February 2012, Ólöf helped Njarðvík to win its first major title when it defeated Snæfell in the Icelandic Cup finals.[8] On 14 April, she led Njarðvík to the national championship, scoring 7 points and handing out 6 assists in the championship clincing game.[9]

In August 2012, Ólöf had a serious accident that caused massive nerve damage in her right arm. Due to the injury she missed all but three games of the 2012-2013 season and was ultimately forced to retire from playing basketball.[10] She had a short comeback in 2018 with Grindavík, which she coached, appearing in two games due to injuries on the squad.[11][12]

National team career

Ólöf played in seven games for the Icelandic national basketball team from 2004 to 2012.[13]

Coaching career

After her basketball career came to an end, Ólöf took up coaching for Grindavík's junior program. In November 2016, she came under scrutiny after her U-18 team defeated Njarðvík's U-18 team 101-2.[14]

In December 2017, Ólöf, was hired as an assistant coach to Grindavík's senior women's team. In February 2018, she replaced Angela Rodriguez as the head coach.[15][16] She helped the team to a 4th place finish and a spot in the promototion playoffs where the winner would be promoted to the Úrvalsdeild kvenna. In the playoffs, Grindavík lost to KR in the semi-finals.[17]

In May 2018, Ólöf Helga was hired as the head coach of reigning national champions Haukar.[18] Prior to her arrival, Haukar had lost several key players from the championship run, including Helena Sverrisdóttir. In her first game at the helm, Haukar lost in the Super Cup to Keflavík, 77-83.[19] For the season, Haukar ended with a 9-19 record and missed out of the playoffs.

In February 2020, she led Haukar to the semi-finals of the Icelandic Cup where it bowed out against eventual cup winners Skallagrímur.[20] On 28 February 2020, with 6 games left of the season, the board of Haukar announced it had fired Ólöf. At the time the team was in heavy playoff contention with a 13-9 record in fifth place, one victory away from third place.[21]

On 11 May 2020, Ólöf was hired as the head coach of Grindavík.[22]

Titles

Football
Personal information
Playing position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2001 Grindavík 15 (5)
2004–2006 Keflavík 38 (30)
2007–2008 GRV 16 (10)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:34, 2 January 2018 (UTC)

Ólöf appeared in 35 matches in the Icelandic top-tier football league for Grindavík and Keflavík, scoring 8 goals.[23] Playing the striker position,[24] her best season came in 2004 when she helped Keflavík win 1. deild kvenna by scoring 24 goals in 15 matches, including 5 goals in the promotion playoffs.

Titles
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References
  1. Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (4 December 2001). "Yngsta meistaralið sögunnar?". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  2. "Ungar og góðar". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 3 December 2001. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  3. "Ólöf með slitin krossbönd". Víkurfréttir (in Icelandic). 7 March 2002. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  4. Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (17 July 2009). "Ólöf Helga ætlar að hjálpa nýliðunum næsta vetur". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  5. "Breytingar á liðinu". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 8 October 2003. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  6. "1. deild kvenna - UMFG". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Federation. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  7. Jón Júlíus Karlsson (29 March 2011). "Ólöf Helga: Lið með svakalegan karakter". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  8. "Ólöf Helga: Ég er ekkert smá stolt". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 18 February 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  9. Kristján Jónsson (14 April 2012). "Búnar að vinna rosalega hart fyrir þessu". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  10. "Óvíst hvort Ólöf Helga leiki aftur körfubolta". Víkurfréttir (in Icelandic). 31 January 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  11. "1. deild kvenna - Ólöf Helga Pálsdóttir". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Federation.
  12. Davíð Eldur (28 May 2018). "Ólöf Helga tekur við Íslandsmeisturum Hauka". karfan.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  13. "A landslið". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Federation. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  14. Eiríkur Stefán Ásgeirsson (21 November 2016). "Ósætti eftir 101-2 sigur í stúlknaflokki: Við spiluðum heiðarlegan körfubolta". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  15. "Ólöf Helga tekur við Íslandsmeisturum Hauka". umfg.is (in Icelandic). Ungmennafélag Grindavíkur. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  16. "Ólöf Helga: Aldrei verið þekkt fyrir að taka auðveldu leiðina". karfan.is (in Icelandic). 16 August 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  17. Hjörvar Ólafsson (28 May 2018). "Þjálfaraskipti hjá meisturunum". Fréttablaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  18. Tómas Þór Þórðarson (28 May 2018). "Ólöf Helga tekur við meisturum Hauka". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  19. Ólafur Þór Jónsson (30 September 2018). "Ólöf Helga: Þurfti í fyrsta skipti að láta þær heyra það". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  20. Bjarni Helgason (13 February 2020). "Skallagrímur of stór biti fyrir Hauka". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  21. Henry Birgir Gunnarsson (28 February 2020). "Ólöf Helga: Er ekki reið en svolítið sár". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  22. Davíð Eldur (11 May 2020). "Ólöf Helga tekur við kvennaliði Grindavíkur". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  23. "Leikmaður - Ólöf Helga Pálsdóttir". ksi.is (in Icelandic). Football Association of Iceland. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  24. "Grindavík". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 22 May 2001. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
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