For 5 days the city of Mendoza in Argentina received the first tournament “Handball SCA Minors and Cadets”; and had Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay among its participants. This last country surprised not only by its good results, but by those who were behind: the technical body made up mostly of women.
“We came to the games and everyone watched us, from the players, judges, technical directors to the delegates”, comments Carolina Aguirre, the Head Coach and more experienced of this historic team that consists of 5 women and 2 men, a group that she defines as heterogeneous, since it is “intergenerational, with a female presence and with people from different areas of the country”.
For Aguirre, these qualities were essential to command the lower levels of Uruguay since it is the moment when future talents are formed and forge the character that will follow them to the higher categories. Therefore, along with the work of Alejandro “Tití” Trejo and Nicolás Guerra, they invited Fiorella Guedes, Carolina Ferreira and Daiana López, all teachers with extensive experience in the interior handball, but that for the first time they would come in command of national teams.
“It took me by surprise, I was so excited and I didn’t fall! What I once dreamed was coming true”, says Carolina Ferreira when she was called to the national team. “Representing Uruguay is a great commitment and privilege and we try to do our best”, added the young DT of Handball Tacuarembó.
For Fiorella Guedes, Ferreira’s partner in the northern club for more than 5 years, this call to be part of this historic technical body was a surprise, but at the same time, an opportunity for this discipline continues to develop inside and thus contribute “that the growth of the handball is more equal in the country”.
Thus, one of the objectives was fulfilled, and not only in the technical staff, but also in the team, since several boys could be part of the Uruguayan team coming from the interior of the country.
Another of the objectives of this technical body is to give a correct and healthy sports and personal development to the selected and selected of the country, through a teaching with gender ideology.
“The idea is to give the female vision, especially in work with men, since it is essential to work a healthy masculinity in sport that allows them to express their emotions”, comments the Head Coach of this women’s group that for quite some time has been working on these issues in the men’s teams of Uruguay.
The one who agrees with this is Daiana López, the young DT of Handball Movement 33, since “not only creates a lot of learning at a professional level, but you create values for the whole group”, which is key for the formation of integral players.
An example for the region
Despite being the first time directing for many, this innovative coaching staff led the Uruguayan men’s teams to get 4th° place in the under 14 category and 3rd place in the under 16. These results confirm the previous work done by the group and the Uruguayan Federation.
“Every win we had we experienced very intensely from the heart and there are no words to express it”, says Lopez with emotion. “The defeats and not having been able to stay with the second place for goal difference was something incredible too, because it made us realize that we are even stronger than we arrived”, he added.
However, for these technical directors these sporting achievements are not the only thing that mark this participation, since it was a constant professional and personal learning where “achieved many more things that enhance the national handball”.
Thus, Uruguay and this technical body become pioneers in the region and show that it is possible to give more space to women in sports obtaining good results in terms of competence and personal development.
Photos: FUH
