The former left winger of HBC Nantes, Valero Rivera, surprised his inner circle by accepting a coaching position for the under-17s, just months after hanging up his boots.
Valero Rivera has always displayed a quiet certainty: he would not follow in his father's footsteps nor those of his stepfather. His father, a star of world handball, led Spain and FC Barcelona to the highest steps of the podium. His stepfather, Thierry Anti, also left an indelible mark on the sport. Yet, barely a few months after putting down his ball, the former left winger found himself on the bench of HBC Nantes' under-17s.
A conversion that raises questions. Rivera had stated not long ago that he couldn't see himself in this role. The genes of handball perhaps run too deeply in his veins to resist this call. "I'm already contaminated," he himself acknowledged with a knowing smile. This confession reveals how much the passion for the game can transform the most deeply held certainties.
HBC Nantes knew how to seize this opportunity. The Breton club offers its former player a framework to explore this new profession. The under-17s now benefit from the experience of an athlete who has graced the most prestigious courts. A passing of the torch between generations that perfectly illustrates the continuity of Nantes handball.
This transition also illustrates the difficulty for former players to completely leave the field. Valero Rivera discovers that handball is never truly left behind. Between transmission and learning, he is now carving his own path in coaching, to the greatest delight of his heart's club.
A conversion that raises questions. Rivera had stated not long ago that he couldn't see himself in this role. The genes of handball perhaps run too deeply in his veins to resist this call. "I'm already contaminated," he himself acknowledged with a knowing smile. This confession reveals how much the passion for the game can transform the most deeply held certainties.
HBC Nantes knew how to seize this opportunity. The Breton club offers its former player a framework to explore this new profession. The under-17s now benefit from the experience of an athlete who has graced the most prestigious courts. A passing of the torch between generations that perfectly illustrates the continuity of Nantes handball.
This transition also illustrates the difficulty for former players to completely leave the field. Valero Rivera discovers that handball is never truly left behind. Between transmission and learning, he is now carving his own path in coaching, to the greatest delight of his heart's club.
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Source: Ouest-France