Haverford High School’s Googie Seidman is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week (Jan. 2-8)
The senior guard, a second team All-Main Line boys’ basketball selection last winter, is off to a great start this season, averaging 18 points per game as well as six rebounds and three assists per contest. In 2020, his older brother John was a key figure in the Fords winning their first Central League boys basketball championship in 50 years. Googie Seidman will be playing basketball for Catholic University next winter. Seidman also has played soccer and football for Haverford High, and is an officer for the National Business Honor Society at Haverford.
Q: You mentioned that your favorite memory of your Haverford basketball career to date is when the Fords won the Central League championship during your freshman season. Tell us a little about what made that memory special.
A: We lost eight straight games in the middle of that season, and no one believed in us and we probably didn’t have the most talent, but it proved to me that if you work together as a team you can accomplish a lot. It was the first time the school had won the championship in 50 years so it meant a lot to Havertown.
Q: How do you see your leadership role as a senior guard?
A: As a senior having played on the varsity team for four years I know what it’s like to come off the bench and what it’s like to play a lot of different roles on the team. Every player on our team has a role and makes our team better, no matter if they get in the game or not. I always try to lead by example, play unselfish and set a standard for the team that will hopefully be passed down for years to come.
Q: What in your opinion is the biggest key to effective rebounding?
A: The key to rebounding in my opinion is all about desire and positioning. This year I know I need to rebound more than ever. Coach H (Heinerichs) always tells us that a long shot equals a long rebound so also knowing where the shot is coming from is critical.
Q: What part of your game have you worked on the most recently?
A: This summer I think I really developed my play making abilities and my on-ball defense playing for Pro Skills Philadelphia and Coach Ferrick, who is an assistant at Swarthmore College. More recently I have been working on getting my shots off on the move and off the dribble like pull ups and step backs as well as continuing to improve my on-ball defense.
Q: Tell us a little about your start in basketball. Who have been your top basketball mentors, and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?
A: I started playing basketball when I was 4 years old playing in a basketball league at the Ardmore Soul Shack which was run by Larry Scovens. Larry played college basketball in Virginia and taught my older brother John and I a lot about the game at an early age. You had to be tough at 4 years old to play in that league or kids would take the ball right out of your hands! As I got older playing CYO for SCJN Coach Rufo and Coach Celluci taught me that basketball teams are like family. One of my top basketball mentors more recently has been Coach H at Haverford. Coach H always believed in me and got me to believe in myself and trust the process. He’s taught me numerous life lessons, the biggest one being the least important play is the last one and the most important play is the next. My dad went to Villanova so I grew up watching Villanova basketball and I always admired Jay Wright because he emphasizes attitude and its importance. Having a positive attitude and a strong next-play mentality has always been important to me and helps me overcome adversity.
Q: Your given name is Alex – tell us how you got the nickname Googie.
A: I was given the nickname “Googie” when I was about 1 years old. My older brother John, who is now a sophomore at Franklin and Marshall, had a speech delay. All he could do until he was 3 years old was point and grunt at me! My parents thought there was something wrong with him and took him to see many doctors, but one day he pointed his finger at me and said Googie which was his first word and only word at the time so everyone started calling me Googie to get him to talk more.
Q: You wear uniform jersey No. 4 for Haverford basketball – is there a reason you chose that number?
A: I wear No. 4 at Haverford in honor of a former player and teammate Sean “HackShaw” Reynolds. who I try to model my defensive game after. My freshman year I was the last in line picking a jersey and there were not many jerseys that would fit me since I was 5-foot-6 at the time, and Sean noticed that and offered up his No. 4 jersey and from that day on I’ve always stuck with that number. The number 4 reflects the toughness and grit that Sean always played with and I keep that in the back of my head when I put the jersey on.
Q: What is your favorite academic course at Haverford? What do you think you might like to major in at Catholic University?
A: My favorite academic course at Haverford is entrepreneurship. At Catholic University I am considering pursuing a degree in business but also want to take some courses in Criminal Justice.
Q: Is there a career path that particularly appeals to you at the present time?
A: At some point I would like to start my own business and have my older brother work for me at the bottom of my business and have him work his way up in the rankings by working hard and doing as I say! I am intrigued with the possibility of becoming a Secret Service agent. I am also interested in seeing if basketball could take me overseas to play after college as one of my brother’s teammates from last year just did this and he has a game similar to mine.
Fun facts – Googie Seidman
Favorite book: Charlotte’s Web.
Favorite author: Dr. Seuss.
Favorite TV show: Outer Banks.
Favorite movie: Cars.
Favorite athlete: Collin Gillespie.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: 22
Favorite team: Villanova men’s basketball team.
Favorite place to visit: Avalon, N.J.
Favorite pre-game meal: Cereal.
Person I most admire: “My older brother John.”
Family members: parents Brian and Carly, brother John.
(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his or her school.)
