Rolando Medina is possibly the most successful coach in the High-Performance system within the national borders. The father of the Lionesses of local hockey is backed by the 20 titles of their disciples in the absolute category and the training of many of the best players in the country, including the already legendary Drake sisters.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- However, success is far from his calling card and that is why he continues to offer the same old folksy greeting: Tell me, my brother, how is the family? He does so even now, in the time of the COVID-19, when people walk in a hurry, trying to return as quickly as possible to the safety of their homes.
Medina has time for a brief conversation, always affectionate, charged with an optimism that is as shockproof as the recent loss of one of his four children. The Twin, as we all know him, speaks with the conviction and closeness that are undoubtedly part of the secret of his many achievements as a pedagogue and coach.
“First and foremost, not to leave the house, which will put an end to the pandemic. The Hockey of Las Tunas is still at the forefront and today all (the athletes) are fulfilling quite a lot of discipline. As they also know how to do it on the field, today they are doing it at the request of this Revolution”, says the man who, since that first title in 1992, has become a reference for all his colleagues in Cuba.
Only two months ago, the Lionesses recovered the crown lost in 2019 in Ciego de Ávila, taking revenge on the host team. Since losing 2-4 in a penalty shoot-out against the girls from Ciego de Ávila, they have thought of nothing but regaining the throne.
It is the winning mentality cultivated over three decades by Medina and a large group of coaches: “That mentality has not come alone, that is trained from day one. It's true that there's tradition and every player who comes along knows that she's joining a championship team, but all coaches, from the base to the top, work to win. Here we don't talk about silver or bronze medals, the only thing we aspire to is always the gold one.
Legitimized by 30 years of triumphs and built by an inflexible culture of effort, discipline and success, Rolando Medina's formula is equally valid in these complex times of the COVID-19: we cannot do less than win.
