Ollinger: ‘It’s been a good move; no regrets’

MARION - It's a delicate balance, and Jaime Printy Brandt knows it.

'I'll be honest, it's been a tough couple of weeks,” Brandt said after Linn-Mar defeated Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 62-49, Tuesday night.

A rookie head coach with an inexperienced team that has surpassed expectations, Brandt found out just before the holiday break that all-state junior Amanda Ollinger was headed her way.

A midseason transfer is rare, especially one involving a player so talented. And Brandt was concerned about how Ollinger's presence would affect the chemistry that the Lions had built.

'It's a tough thing to deal with,” Brandt said. 'I'm really proud of the way the team has handled it, how they've accepted her.

'They've bought into it. Amanda's a humble kid, a smart kid. She came in here ready to learn.”

A 6-foot-2 forward, Ollinger played her first 2 1/2 seasons at Cedar Rapids Jefferson. Her family moved during the break.

After three practices, she made her first court appearance with her new team Tuesday, wearing a white uniform with No. 43. She saw limited action - 2 minutes, 41 seconds, in the third quarter - against Kennedy. She did not take a shot, collecting a steal.

'Obviously, at a new place, I have a lot to learn,” Ollinger said. 'But everybody has been so welcoming here. It's been a good move for my family. No regrets.”

Ollinger averaged 17.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game in eight contests at Jefferson. She announced her family's decision to move on Dec. 17.

She committed last fall to the University of Iowa, starting with the 2016-17 season.

Eventually, Ollinger will play a more prominent role with the Class 5A eighth-rated Lions (7-1 overall, 5-0 MVC). For now, it's a matter of determining her role.

'She's still learning a lot, how she fits in with us,” Brandt said. 'It's going to be a process.”

Linn-Mar is at Cedar Falls on Friday, then faces Marion on Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Center.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com