Leaders of Unites #121 - Loïs Sinnige
"I stopped playing basketball and focused more on coaching"
As a child, I was often outside
My name is Loïs Sinnige, I’m 29 years old. I was born in Groningen, but after just two months we moved to Aduard, a small village about a fifteen-minute drive from Groningen. As a child, I spent a lot of time outdoors: we had a big garden behind the house, and otherwise we played in the street. Hardly any cars came by.
My childhood was a little different from that of most kids. When I was fourteen months old, I developed rheumatism. Because of that, I didn’t really start walking until I was four, and I could hardly open my hands. I walked with braces and took a lot of medication. It’s a small miracle that now I can do everything without problems.
I was nine years old when I started playing basketball. My mother had bought tickets for a playoff game of Donar in Martiniplaza. We were sitting right behind the players’ bench. I immediately told my mother: “This is what I want to do.” Not long after, my parents bought a hoop and put it in our driveway.
I stopped playing basketball and focused more on coaching
I started at BV Dunk, then played two years for Celeritas before joining De Groene Uilen. Two years ago, I decided to stop playing. I felt it was time, and I wanted to focus more on coaching. I earned my Basketball Trainer 3 (BT3) diploma.
I really enjoy sharing my love of basketball and watching others grow. Over the past few years, I’ve coached the Men’s 3 team at De Groene Uilen, and on Sunday mornings I train kids as young as four at Junior Basketball Groningen. Every week, I look forward to working with those children again.
I’ve now been living in Groningen for eleven years. I first moved here when I started studying and rented a student room, and last year I bought a house. I’ve always found Groningen to be such a fun and welcoming city. It’s not too big, you can cycle everywhere, it has a great atmosphere, and as a student, the nightlife was perfect.
At first, I studied physiotherapy, but I didn’t finish. Nowadays, I work as a teacher in special primary education. Here too, I enjoy helping children in their development—making sure that every child feels seen and heard. And that’s not just about math or writing, but also about everyday life skills.
I really enjoyed the 3X3 Leader Course, but had hoped for more women
I first came into contact with 3X3 Unites during a Donar clinic. Egor Fomin saw me at work and asked if the 3X3 Leader Course might be something for me. I was already coaching a team and teaching at school. He was convinced the course would be a perfect fit for me and he was right. I really enjoyed it.
I learned how to create fun drills, how to build self-confidence, and how to lead a group effectively. These are skills you need both on and off the court. Because basketball is about more than just good technique or passing the ball. It’s also about teamwork and helping others shine.
The only downside was that I was the only girl taking part in the Leader Course. I had hoped for more women. I’m trying to do something about this during my Master’s in Pedagogy, which I’m currently studying alongside my teaching job. My research focuses on how we can involve more girls in Groningen in activities run by both 3X3 Unites and the WIJ-team, an organization that organizes activities and offers residents help, support, or advice in their neighborhood.
I find it very interesting to explore how we can engage more girls in these activities. Together with the WIJ-team, we now organize a weekly “girls’ club” in Groningen. There, we talk with a group of girls about topics and themes that matter to them. For example: empowerment, building self-confidence, or feeling less vulnerable.
That last theme is especially relevant right now, which makes it an important and interesting one to discuss. I think it’s great that we talk about it together with these girls. You have to start small. Hopefully, in this way, we can contribute to the bigger picture. And hopefully, we can organize more of these evenings or welcome more girls to join.
What I want to do after finishing my Master’s, I don’t know yet. But for now, I feel at home in education. Just like in my role as a Leader at 3X3 Unites, I can help young people develop. That’s what makes me feel comfortable and gives me fulfillment.
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