Roberto Mollinedo, an experienced coach of the Cuba national team, has known badminton since he was very young and has guided Cuban players to achieve good results. He is convinced that the best satisfaction that our sport can give a coach goes beyond sports results and that it is gratifying to see the personal and professional growth of athletes.
‘Robertico’ as he is known, is a badminton coach since university and has contributed to the training of talents in his country at different ages. He is currently the coach of the national team that represents Cuba in various international tournaments.
“I started badminton at the age of 10 in a sports center. I went through the different stages of teaching that exist in my country until when I entered university I started as a coach and until now I have fulfilled this role in different stages teaching: children, junior athletes, and now with the adult team.”
As a coach he also continues to participate in various trainings that help him continue to grow professionally and contribute to the development of badminton in his country. Thus, Roberto participated in the last BWF Coach Level 3 course held in our region.
“I think that in this course we have touched on topics that are not normally touched on in other courses that are not only related to badminton, but also training courses that coaches take because badminton is a complex sport. Now we have touched on work area topics in which the coaches do not work much, as is the area of how to make athletes think. This course has been a challenge because it redirects your work and leads you to change your style of work with learning methods and theories that you have to start applying to see future results.”
A coach can be satisfied to see that his players comply with the indications on the courts, when they get a medal or reach a qualification. But also, there is satisfaction when you see development in a player as a person or sport as a way of life. It is in this that Roberto finds satisfaction and also participates, because for him more important than the results is the sports growth in his country.
“I think the greatest satisfaction is what I enjoy every day. What is being achieved with athletes not only from a sports point of view, but in them as people. I think the greatest satisfaction that we can have as coaches today is see how we manage not only to win a competition or qualify for the Olympic Games, but also to help the training and development of the sport in general, and the training of people in badminton as a way of education and improvement.”
With the years that Roberto has been involved in badminton, he is the authorized voice to analyze the growth of our sport in the region. Thus, he highlights the good role of coaches that leads to the development of badminton in the continent.
“I think that in the continent in recent years, BPAC has been doing a strong job for the development of the sport and for the professionals of the sport to grow. This has resulted in a large growth in general and in all areas. We are the good way.”
