Basketball is the passion of Érica Carolina Sánchez, who from the age of 14 he began to deploy his game in different countriesIn addition to being part of the Argentine National Team for 19 years and on many occasions also defending the borravino shirt of the Mendoza team in Argentine championships and international tournaments.
Carolina Sánchez, 1.80m power forward. tall, commented that “I have been around for 30 years and I am currently in the first category of Italy which is A1. Last year when we were on the A2 we were first and due to the whole issue of the Covid-19 pandemic they allowed us to ascend to the A1. To return to the highest level of Italian women’s basketball at this age, the truth is that for me it is an enormous joy ”.
Regarding his extensive professional career, he explained: “When I finished competing in Europe in April or May, I returned to Argentina, when some leagues in South America just started at the end of April, I hired as a reinforcement and continued playing about three or four months ”.
He recalled that “when I played for Las Heras Basketball in 2018, obviously I was not in Europe, I had stopped playing and the possibility of joining the team was given, so I decided to stay in Mendoza, thinking that the team would last a long time playing in the league, but it lasted only one year. “
“During my 30 years in basketball,” he added, “I played in Europe from September to April or May. When it finished, he returned to the country, or to Ecuador or Chile and played. Also Las Heras and the National League of Argentina were formed in that period, because that was when the girls finished in Europe and started as reinforcements in April or May. I was 10 years in Spain, in Italy it will also have been another 10 years, and also in Portugal and Saudi Arabia ”.
In this regard, he said that “I played from April to July or early August in Argentina, counting the tournaments with the national team. When he finished here, he returned to Europe, so he almost had no rest. So do many players, who finish playing in one place and return to their countries to strengthen teams in the National League. At age 14 it was my first test in Italy and from there I have hardly stopped. I’ve had a stop there for a few months or half a year, but I started again in Spain or Italy, or somewhere else in Europe. It took 30 years of career almost without stopping. If I stopped for about 10 months it was due to a knee injury, but then I started again ”.
Your news in Italy
Carolina Sánchez stated that Campobasso “is south of Italy, about an hour and a half from Naples and three from Rome. It is a very small town, but the truth is that I never expected that they received women’s basketball like this, we have a large fan base. This year, when they allowed us to climb the A1, they set out to make a much bigger stadium to accommodate a large number of people and they hope for this year, when the coronavirus issue is accommodated a little, to be able to reach 1,500 people per party. Obviously, there are some protocols that do not allow to have so many people in the stadiums, only about 200 or 300 people and nothing more, with distance, but I am very happy to be at the high level and play in the superior category in Italy ”.
Acknowledged that “Being chosen as the captain of the team here in Italy has been a source of pride for me. The short-term goal is to finish in the best way in what may be my last season. Thinking about my long-term future, I’m already managing lower ranks, I am preparing to manage at high levels, with the aim of being able to manage higher categories, obviously always working and projecting myself, as I did as a player, I hope to get as far as possible and continue living what I like the most. it’s basketball. “
Regarding the pandemic, he commented that “He just caught me in March, when we were almost at the end of the season to play the Italian Cup and start the playoffs. The truth is that it was very hard because we were doing very well in the championship and at the end of February, beginning of March, that was when we went into quarantine. I was locked up for two months until the first days of May. When they began to enable everything in Italy, through the Argentine Embassy, I returned to Mendoza ”.
In this sense, he stated that “precisely Argentina began with the issue of quarantine and we arrived with the protocol that Mendoza had, which consisted in that each inhabitant who came from abroad had to quarantine in hotels. I had to do another quarantine, then I had the opportunity to work individually in a gym, where they allowed me to train. When they began to enable the clubs, I began to do my routine of individual training on the court, plus the gym. I tried never to stop and when I had to return to Italy, that was when they closed everything again and in Mendoza it got complicated. I arrived in Italy and we started a normal preseason with the team as we had done last year, with many protocols so as not to infect anyone ”.
Later, the Mendoza commented that “the preseason began with many ailments, because obviously after 7 months without touching a ball, getting into the rhythm was quite hard. At this point we have already started the championship and unfortunately we have had a lot of injuries, but there is a little risk of being idle for so long ”.
“Now we have returned to the normal routine – he added – depending on the days that are played, if we play on Sundays we have Monday off. We start on Tuesday afternoon and during the championship, training is regulated a lot, but almost double shift is trained from Tuesday to Friday between gyms and court, about three hours in the morning and as many in the afternoon, it is a very load It is important that it is leading us to get into the rhythm and start a championship that will be quite tough ”.
Differences between Italian and Argentine basketball
When making a comparison between women’s basketball in Italy and Argentina, Carolina explained that “I’ve been playing in Europe for 30 years and obviously the difference is organizational. We cannot have a regular league in Argentina like the boys play. All our lives we tried to achieve this so that not all the players had to leave the country to be able to play at a high level. This is what we tried to achieve in Argentina, but it never had continuity. I think that’s the difference, the professionalism it has, where you can make a living from sports, there are players who win very well and can live off basketball. We cannot make a difference like men, but we can make a living from sports ”.
He also said that “in terms of infrastructure not to mention, there are very well prepared stadiums, you don’t die of cold in winter. Obviously the organizational issue, the number of championships and categories ”.
Referring to her personal goals outside of basketball, Carolina assured that “You always have in mind to be able to start your family, to have my children, which is not too late, but basketball was what led me to decide my life. I am making the most of it until the last moment, sacrificing many things in my personal life as well, such as starting a family, having a partner and also children. I think you have to make a life choice and in my case I think it was living off basketball.
His beginnings in basketball
“I started playing at the San José club from a very young age, at 7 years old, thanks to my brother. I even started with the boys. I was with them for a while until I was transferred to YPF, which was my growth club in women’s basketball. From the ages of 8 to 14 I was there, also participating in the Mendoza selections. At 14 I was in an Argentine preselection, but I got a proposal for a test in Italy and I decided to go play in Europe. When I finished, I returned to the National Team or I went to a team that was starting the National League or to a South American team. In 1989 I decided to come and play in Italy and start my professional career in this country, but every moment that the season in Europe ended, I returned to Argentina and I have gone through Murialdo, Obras, teams from Buenos Aires such as Berazategui, Florida, Central Entrerriano, many years in Vélez. I also spent a long time playing in Ecuador, Chile and Uruguay ”.
“For every athlete, the National Team is a pride”
“Oara every athlete the Argentine National Team is a pride, it is what everyone wants to achieve, it does not matter the money but the colors of your country. I started in 1995 with the National Team, spending 10 years as captain and it was incredible. I was in three World Cups, in 2002 in China, 2006 in Brazil and 2010 in the Czech Republic. Two Olympic Qualifiers to qualify for the London and Beijing Games, which was not achieved. The truth is that they were incredible moments with the team, there were many achievements and many hard moments that we had. A coach who marked me and gave me all the confidence was Eduardo Pinto, coach of the Argentine Women’s National Team for 20 years. Also, each coach I had left me a teaching and learning, not only in sports but also personally, for which I have to thank each one of those who went through my life as they were great references ”.
Finally, Carolina Sánchez commented that “In every club where I go, sometimes I have to live alone but this year I am living with an Italian and an American partner. We always try to be in tune to get along and share a whole year together. Later, at the end of the season, my mother comes to visit, in some places also my brothers, at the time when my father was still with me he also came to visit me. You try to live as calmly as possible and look for the people with whom you get along the best ”.
