Coaches Comment on Their Teams at the
XXII Women's Pan American Cup
COLIMA, Mexico, August 2, 2025 – The coaches of the 10 teams
participating in the XXII Women's Pan American Cup, which will be
played from August 3 to 10 in the city of Colima, commented on the
characteristics of their squads during the preliminary inspections
conducted by the event's Control Committee this Thursday.
Matthew Krueger (Canada):
“We are going to use this tournament as a learning experience since
half of the team are young players who have just moved up from the
U-23 division, and this is my first time as a head coach in this
type of competition. So, we are going to test ourselves in this
event and try to do our best.”
Guilherme Schmitz (Colombia):
“This is my first time participating in a Pan American Cup as coach
of the Colombian senior team. We have high expectations for a great
tournament. It's our first competition of the season, which also
serves as a great preparation for the World Championship to be held
in Thailand.”
Esteban Ballestero, Assistant Coach (Costa Rica):
“First, we want to compete; we want to play well on the court.
Second, we want the players to adapt to playing under pressure from
other teams, which we understand are stronger than us. Then, we can
confront that pressure and try to find solutions during the game.”
Manuel Torres (Cuba):
“Our expectations are high. We're taking a new direction as a group.
Although we came here with a limited group of players, the
fundamental idea is to go out and play each match and, along the
way, make adjustments to achieve the best possible result.”
Marcos Kwiek (Dominican Republic):
“I think it's going to be a good tournament. We have teams here that
are also going to the World Cup, and they'll use the tournament to
fine-tune their teams, just like we are. So, we're very focused and
also want to seek a medal for the country, which is very important,
and to continue our path to the World Cup.”
Nicola Negro (Mexico):
“This season we're starting a new cycle, and this will be our second
competition after the Final Four in Puerto Rico. It's an important
Pan American Cup because it's very close to the World Cup, so we
hope to continue growing and get the best possible result since
we're playing at home.”
Antonio Rizola (Peru):
“Peru is coming to this tournament with the expectation of testing
another team. We played with a team in the Copa América, and here in
the Pan American Cup we have five different players who weren't in
the first tournament we played this year, and it's important because
we're preparing for next year. The Pan American Cup has always been
an important tournament for Peru, and for me personally, Antonio
Rizola.”
Juan Carlos Núñez (Puerto Rico):
“This tournament is very important for us because it's the last one
we'll have in preparation for the World Cup. We'll also try to earn
as many points as possible to remain ranked among the top 16 in the
world. It's incredibly important for us because there are many teams
that can give us points. Thank God, the team arrived healthy, and
we'll fight for a spot on the podium.”
Adrian Fiorenza (Venezuela):
“Our expectations are high after having participated in the Copa
America in Brazil, where we competed with a very young team. We are
coming to this Pan American Cup with girls who already have
international experience. While it is true that Venezuela has not
been in this category of performance for four years, we believe we
have the talent and potential to perform well.” |