Ben Woodside played hockey as a youngster but, when the time came to choose a winter sport, he chose the hardwood over the ice rink.

Monday, March 25, 2002

Ben Woodside played hockey as a youngster but, when the time came to choose a winter sport, he chose the hardwood over the ice rink. Basketball is in his genes.

Woodside’s grandfather, Jack Woodside, at one time held the Albert Lea High School single-season scoring record. His dad, Paul Woodside, was an all-state guard. And his mom, Roberta (VanderWaal) Woodside, is No. 2 on the ALHS girls’ all-time scoring list after holding the record for several years.

Ben Woodside has a chance to be better than them all.

In his second varsity season, the ALHS sophomore helped turn around a team that hasn’t had a winning record since 1991-92 while establishing himself as one of the top players in one of the state’s toughest conferences, the Big Nine.

A 5-foot-10 point guard with impressive ball-handling skills and remarkable poise for his age, Woodside led the Tigers in a number of offensive categories, averaging 15.2 points, 4.7 assists, 4.1 steals and 3.0 rebounds per game with 35 three-point field goals. The fact he did it in the Big Nine – with defenses geared to contain him – makes Ben Woodside the Tribune Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year for 2001-02.

&uot;For a sophomore to be a leader and go-to guy on a team in the Big Nine is an accomplishment in itself,&uot; said ALHS coach Matt Addington. &uot;It’s a credit to his skill and work ethic that he’s looked at that way by his teammates.&uot;

The Big Nine coaches also saw it that way, voting Woodside to the elite 16-member all-conference team.

Addington found it difficult to pinpoint Woodside’s strengths on the basketball court. There are so many of them.

&uot;Ben really developed into the guy who made our team go,&uot; said Addington. &uot;He did a little bit of everything. A point guard that gives you options like he did is a real luxury for a coach. He brought the ball up the court, he scored for us, he did what it took. The success of the other guys, a lot of it came from his penetration to the basket. Teams really keyed on him, and that allowed other guys to get the ball.&uot;

And the ball was always in good hands with Woodside, who had a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

&uot;Only two times this year did Ben have someone take the ball away from him,&uot; said Addington. &uot;As a coach, I never felt any pressure with him handling the basketball. He meant so much to our team.&uot;

Addington looks forward to seeing how much more Woodside can mean in a future that looks very bright for he and the Tigers.

&uot;He’s one of those kids who has done a lot but wants to do a lot more,&uot; said Addington. &uot;He’s extremely skilled but looking to make himself and the team better. He really has a burning desire to improve and compete.&uot;