Ballard tennis coach is fired

The coach of the Ballard High School girls tennis team, who was profiled in last week's cover story in The Seattle Weekly, has been fired.

In the article, Aaron Silverberg is quoted on the team bus ride home from a victorious match reading aloud sensual poems he self-published.

"We're moving a different direction," said Ballard athletic director Doug Bruketta. He said there were factors other than the article that led to the dismissal of Aaron Silverberg, 50.

"It's not just that," Bruketta said.

Silverberg said he was surprised he was fired and said he got the notification in an e-mail from Bruketta.

Asked if Bruketta provided a reason for the firing, Silverberg said, "All I've heard so far is the word 'inappropriate.' "

"As far as I know, I did a great job," Silverberg said. "I gave it my best effort."

Silverberg is a "life coach" who assists clients in achieving goals. He has two masters degrees, played small-college tennis, has been a teaching pro, plays the flute and is a self-proclaimed "Buddhist tennis coach," according to the article written by Huan Hsu.

Silverberg, who was the team's third coach in four years, said Tuesday he took the job for "fun and to give something back to the community."

The article says there was friction at times during the season between Silverberg and his athletes, but Silverberg said the season ended happily.

"We had a nice banquet," he said. "A lot of happy girls, a lot of happy parents."

Crews to Henley

Shells with high-school rowers representing the Green Lake Crew and the Sammamish Rowing Association will compete in the Henley Royal Regatta in England July 4-8.

The Green Lake eight lineup is: coxswain Adam Boyd, Charlie Sweet, both from Roosevelt; Casey Ellis of O'Dea, Lucas Goodman of Shorecrest, Tommy Carroll of Bishop Blanchet, Matt Ricci of Lakeside, Niles Garratt of Shorecrest, Trevor Walchenbach of Roosevelt and Ben Schmechel of Lakeside. Stefan Ricci of Lakeside and Scott Selfridge of Seattle Prep are spares.

The Sammamish crew is a quadruple scull with rowers Hans Struzyna of Bellevue Christian, Tyler Emsky of Mount Si, Paul Rivenburgh of Overlake and Chris Smolinske of Bellevue Christian.

Notes

• Nathan Hale senior Abdi Hassan finished fourth in the 800 meters at the Nike Outdoor National last weekend in Greensboro, N.C. His time was 1 minute, 50.77 seconds. Max O'Donoghue-McDonald of Seattle Prep was 14th in the two-mile in 8:59.19.

• Kayce Kirihara, a four-year starter for the Franklin girls basketball team, has signed a letter of intent to play for Hawaii-Hilo.

Craig Smith: 206-464-8279 or csmith@seattletimes.com