AIS Alum & Boys Soccer Coach Proud to be Part of the AIS Community

Basim Al-Ahmadi is not only a member of the Graduating Class of 2009, the AIS Alumnus recently wrapped up coaching JV Boys Soccer. We chatted with Basim about being a Griffin for life.

You aren’t the only member of your family who is a Griffin, are you?

We are a family of proud Griffins, including my mother (Amal Nasser, Class of 1984), brother (Faris, Class of 2012), sister (Maysoon, Class of 2017), as well as several of my aunts and many cousins of mine!

Why do you find it important to coach at your alma mater?

This was my first time and I truly enjoyed it! I am very happy to apply my experiences of playing competitive football to help the boys improve as footballers. I played for Royal Antwerp (First Division in Belgium) as a youngster and had the privilege of playing against teams such as Paris Saint German (PSG), PSV, Anderlecht and other leading European football teams. 

AIS gave me so much. It provided me a home away from home for over 15 years and played a key role in shaping my character and values. The least I can do is try my best to help the next generation of Griffins. We are one community, all of us are Griffins, and I couldn’t have been happier to be back on campus to coach the JV team. 

Through football coaching, I try my best to instil the Griffin values of hard work, team spirit and pride. Last but not least, I wanted our mighty Griffins to compete and win! 

When we were playing St John’s for the third place position at the Belgian School League (BSL) tournament, we were tied 3-3 with 10 minutes to go, and we won the match 5-3. The celebration at 4-3 was fantastic and it was a great feeling to close the game at 5-3. I ran onto the pitch to celebrate with the boys! The boys showed unbelievable heart, dedication and strength to stay the course and win the game. 

Another memory is playing St John’s at home earlier in the season. We won the game 3-2 for our first win of the season and it was wonderful to do so at home, in front of some great (parent) supporters! We proudly chanted “A-I-S” in our group huddle after the game in celebration, and to get our first victory as a group was sweet. I couldn’t be prouder of the boys; they worked very hard.  

Did it bring back memories of being a Griffin?

Yes! I played U14 Basketball, JV Basketball and Varsity Football. In U14 Basketball, I remember being appointed as Captain and it was a very special feeling and gave me tremendous pride to lead the boys. 

During JV Basketball, we used to practise in the old gym which is now the STEMzone (which looks fantastic by the way!). It was a great feeling to finish school, drop our books for a bit and play hard! 

During Varsity Football, I remember the whole team singing songs on the bus on the way back from games. The atmosphere was brilliant and those memories will always remain. 

About AIS

AIS offers the globally recognised International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme for students from ages 2 ½ to 18. AIS is also a proud member of the oldest accrediting association in the United States, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). AIS since 1967. A modern path to success!