After many months without practicing the only profession I have had in my life, the opportunity to go back to work has finally arisen. Last season in Burgos had many positive things, others not so much. But the most important thing is that I learned a lot to be a better coach and that I took in my heart the love of many people I met and dealt with there.
But after that experience, it was clear to me that I wanted to train in a place where they bet on me, this is basic, and where I didn’t have to separate myself from Ana for long. She is fundamental in my life and it has not been easy to be apart for so long her.
These months have not been easy. You take advantage of the first weeks not to be separated from Ana and Gabo and spend time with friends and family. You trust that a new opportunity will come. You know that there are few places you are willing to go and that it will be difficult, but you are confident and you are mentally preparing yourself to change your profession if the need arises. This gives you courage because you have been doing basketball all your life and you believe in yourself and what you think. Because it didn’t go entirely well in Burgos, which wasn’t so bad either, you shouldn’t throw in the towel. You spend your time studying something that has nothing to do with basketball to open your field of work and keep your mind busy and not despair. And you see a lot of basketball, and of all categories.
The weeks go by and you begin to get nervous when you see that nobody calls you, that the same opportunity does not arise. You try to stay calm because what doesn’t change is that your priority is to be close to Ana and Gabo and you prepare yourself mentally to start a new path in a profession in which you are completely new. You are not afraid but I do respect the change in life that is going to take place.
But then the opportunity arises and your phone rings. There is an option to train CAB Estepona of Liga Challenge until the end of the season. Impossible to miss the opportunity. Of course you know that if a team needs a coach with three months to go before the end of the season, it’s not because everything is going great. But you prepare yourself not to hear anyone with all due respect. I want to go without being mediated and willing to make my own opinion of what I perceive once inside.
What I find is a club where everyone welcomes me wonderfully. They treat you with love and joy when they hear the news that you will be part of their family. You feel privileged, even a star without being one, because many people are only aware that you are content and happy. And you find a team of girls who, from the first second we share the field, give their all to do everything you propose. Everyone’s effort has been great because I know it hasn’t been easy. Just for them to be half as happy with me as I am with them would be great for me. But this is not about looking for happiness but about winning games, so let’s get started now.
I do not forget the junior team that I have found. A group of very well trained girls, very polite and always willing to go up with the older ones to help them train. Without them it would be impossible to plan any work week and they are so good that we took one to Ferrol.
Impossible to forget about my new work team. They, who were already in the team, have made an effort to quickly adapt to their new teammate, to make my job as easy as possible and to help me with everything.
And now comes what was most missing, compete. Enjoying the matches, helping them when tactical problems arise, fighting with them and winning. It is certainly not easy. This league is very serious and hard and there is no easy opponent. But we are going to play to win, giving our souls to each action, playing defense all together and sharing the ball in attack. And if there is another team that proves to be better, on Monday we will be willing to continue improving for the next game.
Three precious months ahead to enjoy sharing it with my work team, my players, the entire CAB Estepona and the people who come to Pineda who are also willing to push from the stands so that not a single match on our pitch escapes.