Craig Pedersen
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Craig Pedersen
| image = EuroBasket 2017 Finland vs Iceland 70 (cropped).jpg
| width =
| caption = Pedersen at EuroBasket 2017.
| position = Head coach
| height_cm = 199
| weight_lb =
| league =
| team = Iceland
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|6|13}}
| birth_place =
| nationality = Canadian
| college = Simon Fraser University
| career_start = 1989
| career_end = 2007
| coach_start = 2003
| career_position = Forward
| years1 = 1993–1994
| team1 = Horsens BC
| years2 = 1994–2002
| team2 = Horsens IC
| years3 = 2002–2003
| team3 = Bakken Bears
| years4 = 2003–2007
| team4 = Svendborg Rabbits
| cyears1 = 2003–2015
| cteam1 = Svendborg Rabbits
| cyears2 = 2004–2009
| cteam2 = Denmark (assistant)
| cyears3 = 2014–present
| cteam3 = Iceland
| highlights =
As player:
- Danish Championship (1998)
- Danish League All-Import First Team (2000)
As coach:
- Danish Championship (2010)
- 3x Danish Cup (2007, 2011, 2013)
}}
Craig Pedersen (born June 13, 1965) is a Canadian basketball coach and the head coach of the Iceland national team,{{cite news|title=Pedersen's Iceland right in the thick of battle to reach Second Round after fabulous February|url=http://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2019/european-qualifiers/news/pedersens-iceland-right-in-the-thick-of-battle-to-reach-second-round-after-fabulous-february|accessdate=8 March 2018|work=fiba.basketball|date=7 March 2018}} who he has led to EuroBasket three times, in 2015, 2017 and 2025. He is the longest tenured Iceland national teams coach in teams sports.
Playing career
Pedersen played professionally in Denmark from 1989 to 2003 with Horsens BC, Horsens IC and Skovbakken, winning the Danish championship in 1998.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dv.is/sport/2014/3/5/nyr-landslidsthjalfari-i-korfubolta/ |title=Nýr landsliðsþjálfari í körfubolta |access-date=2017-04-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231756/http://www.dv.is/sport/2014/3/5/nyr-landslidsthjalfari-i-korfubolta/ |archive-date=2018-03-08 |url-status=dead }}
Coaching career
He was the head coach of Svendborg Rabbits from 2003 to 2015{{cite news|last1=Bagge|first1=Christoffer|title=Legendarisk træner stopper øjeblikkeligt i Svendborg|url=http://sport.tv2.dk/basketball/2015-11-12-legendarisk-traener-stopper-oejeblikkeligt-i-svendborg|accessdate=6 April 2018|work=TV 2 (Denmark)|date=12 November 2015|language=Danish}} and an assistant coach to the Denmark men's national team from 2004 to 2009.{{cite news |author1=Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson |title=Kanadamaður tekur við íslenska karlalandsliðinu í körfubolta |url=https://www.visir.is/g/2014140309438 |accessdate=26 May 2019 |work=Vísir.is |date=5 March 2014 |language=Icelandic}} In 2014, he was hired as the head coach of the Iceland men's national team.{{cite news |author1=Tómas Þór Þórðarson |title=Pedersen: Konunni líst vel á þetta því ég verð meira heima |url=https://www.visir.is/g/2015151119438 |accessdate=26 May 2019 |work=Vísir.is |date=13 November 2015 |language=Icelandic}}
On 22 November 2019, Pedersen signed a 3-year contract extension to continue with the Iceland national team.{{cite news |author1=Ingvi Þór Sæmundsson |title=Sportpakkinn: "Enginn landsliðsþjálfari er óumdeildur" |url=https://www.visir.is/g/2019191129564/sportpakkinn-enginn-landslidsthjalfari-er-oumdeildur- |accessdate=22 November 2019 |work=Vísir.is |date=22 November 2019 |language=Icelandic}}
On 9 November 2022, Pedersen signed another contract extension to continue with the Iceland national team until 2025.{{cite news |author1=Sindri Sverrisson |title=Sá þaulsætnasti í sögunni stýrir Íslandi áfram |url=https://www.visir.is/g/20222336586d/sa-thaulsaetnasti-i-sogunni-styrir-islandi-afram |access-date=9 November 2022 |work=Vísir.is |date=9 November 2022 |language=Icelandic}}
On 23 February 2025, he led Iceland to its third EuroBasket appearance with its qualification to EuroBasket 2025.{{cite news |author1=Ingvi Þór Sæmundsson |title=Utan vallar: Pedersen ætti að vera þjóðhetja |url=https://www.visir.is/g/20252692789d/utan-vallar-pedersen-aetti-ad-vera-thjodhetja |access-date=25 February 2025 |work=Vísir.is |date=25 February 2025 |language=Icelandic}}
Personal life
Pedersen wife is Danish. Together, they have two children.{{cite news |author1=Helga Margrét Höskuldsdóttir |author2=Edda Sif Pálsdóttir |title=Landsliðsþjálfari í tíu ár – "Ótrúlegt ævintýri og lífsreynsla" |url=https://www.ruv.is/frettir/ithrottir/2024-02-05-landslidsthjalfari-i-tiu-ar-otrulegt-aevintyri-og-lifsreynsla-404044 |access-date=10 February 2024 |work=RÚV |date=5 February 2024 |language=Icelandic}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pedersen, Craig}}
Category:Canadian men's basketball coaches
Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Denmark
Category:Simon Fraser Red Leafs men's basketball players
Category:Svendborg Rabbits players
Category:Forwards (basketball)
{{Canada-basketball-bio-stub}}