“When I was a player there were even fewer female coaches”

2023-09-28 07:49:11

GironaLaura Antoja (Badalona, ​​1977) is the coach of an ambitious Spar Girona team that is competing in the Catalan League AON at Seu d’Urgell this weekend. After his experience as an assistant, the time has come to make the final leap to the bench of a club that has been grinding away at women’s basketball for years.

How have they fared at the start of the season?

— We arrived at the first day of the Endesa Women’s League with five casualties from the first team, which obviously implies that the team is not at 100% of its potential. The players have been arriving with the pre-season already started and with that we had to build everything. The feeling from both the collective and myself is that the team is absolutely at the beginning of construction. We have to be down to earth, be realistic and work to compete.

When I can have a continuous line of work, which Spar Girona should we imagine?

— I would like to have a very dynamic team. I want the whole squad to help me give the game a lot of dynamism. We must be aggressive in defense and throw the ball forward with ease, propose scoring situations with a joyful game and be clear where to look for talent. I would like to be a brave and cheerful team in the rhythm, that generates things in the matches.

With the appearance of rivals such as Valencia Basket and Casademont Zaragoza, is it increasingly difficult to stay in the elite?

— Surely the answer is yes. The more competition there is, the higher the bar for achieving challenges and goals because there are more people at stake. The competition for the top four places in the League is very strong. The club is taking a giant step to try to stay in this powerful competition that is at the top of the classification.

How do you see the alternation of two competitions?

— The primary objective is cohesion because there are many players and a new coaching staff. Until Christmas, every training session and every match must serve us to improve the team and build a solid game. We must use every moment to step forward and be stronger. We have to get an identity of our own.

Which Laura Antoja should we imagine as a coach?

— I am quite a perfectionist person. I like to have order in and out of the work system. The entire team must be hardworking and must be focused on every detail. At the same time, I want to convey a strong and brave character because one must be a winner. Rigor in daily work is what will bring us closer to our goals. Then the enjoyment will come, but first we must be strict.

The League only has four female coaches. Because?

— It’s a minority situation, but when I was a player there were even fewer female coaches. These are situations that I see as opportunities. I want them to be references for all those trainers who are working at the base. There are many Catalan clubs that bet on female coaches, but they must be encouraged to be ambitious, to believe that it can be possible. I hope it goes well so that more and more clubs like Uni Girona are encouraged to put women at the head of their projects. I hope I am a good mirror.