Italian Coach to join Puerto Rico’s National Team Program

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, March 29, 2023.- Dr. César H. Trabanco president of the National Voleibol Federation of Puerto Rico announced on Sunday, that Italian coach Luca Cristofani will join the National Team Program this summer.

Cristofani has an extensive coaching resume with the Italian National Teams and professional leagues. Since 2022 up 2017 he coached in different international events and in others as an assistant coach, in tournaments such as the 2010 Women’s World Championship in Japan, several editions of the European Championship and the U18 and U23 Women’s World Championships, among others.

While coaching the Italian Women’s National team, Cristofani won the bronze medal at the U18 World Championship, coincidentally held in Puerto Rico in 2015.

“We started off working about the idea of bringing Luca Cristofani to Puerto Rico since last year during the Women’s World Championship in the Netherlands, because we want to identify the areas, we must work on to improve our training program with the Senior and Junior National teams, in women and in men, for the important obligations we have this summer and the rest of the year” explained Trabanco. 

 “Luca Cristofani is a coach with great experience in Italy and internationally, because he was also coach of the Women’s National team of Peru  (2011-2013)”, said the sports leader. “He will collaborate and advise our coaches appointed to our National Teams Program for a period of 60 to 90 days”, Trabanco added.

“He is interested in helping our program. We have met on two occasions, and he has asked for video footage of our junior teams. This will be of great help for our National Teams Program”, Trabanco pointed out.

Last year, Cristofani coached the Bartocini Fortinfissi Perugia Volley in the Italian A1 Series. And in the 2020-21 season he was the coach of the Roma Volley Club in the Italian A2 Series, which he led to first place and to move up to the A Series.

Cristofani will arrive in Puerto Rico in June.

Puerto Rico has several international competitions this year in every category, including the Pan American Cups, the Paris 2024 Olympic Qualification Women’s tournament in Japan, the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador and the Pan American Games in Chile, among others.