Juan Martín López: “As a coach guiding a selected is the most beautiful”

Juan Martín López is the coach of the Leoncitas since 2023, and already has four medals in this role. After the JR Pan American Games in Asunción, he spoke exclusively with AM850.com about another gold with the selected Sub21.

Junior Panamerican Championship 2023 and 2024. World JR 2023. JR 2025 Pan American Games. In each the Argentine Sub21 female team was on the podium. In 2023 there were two silver medals, while in 2024 and 2025 two gold. The last contest in Asunción left Argentina raising the cup in both branches, and Gato López said that what most rescued from what happened is the predisposition of the girls and how they won it. “We tried to make a tournament from minor to greatest. We know that Argentina had to be in the final because we have to make a difference in these tournaments.”

Being so few competitions in the category, each contest is of the utmost importance, not only for the team to add minutes and trust, but for the coaching staff to try players and in this case, think about the next goal: the World Cup at the end of the year. “We wanted girls to play well, they can grow and let go of the court”commented the former player of the lions.

The Leoncitas have vacations until September 1 that return to training for the end of the year tournament, but each one has the metropolitan tournament with their respective clubs -the ones that are from Buenos Aires -and those that play with their clubs of the interior, but the idea is that they can enjoy the break, and then be able to focus on the most important objective of the year.

The flag bearer of the JR Pan American Games, Juana Castellarohe also plays in River Plate, and the cat knows her several years ago. “It is different, and she is not only an excellent player but also a great person and leader, it is very easy to train her because she is always well predisposed to learn. The roof is going to put it for the quality she has on the court”said. They also chose her as a captain because they believe they have what they need to guide the team and help the coaching staff to continue forming that group.

In addition to the Sub21 selected, Juan Martín López is the coach of Banco Provincia and River Plate. Both, today, are inside the playoffs, Banco entering the fourth position and River as the first of the female contest A. “Having two teams of this nature with this responsibility fills me with pride and guiding a selected is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you as a coach.”López added. After more than 300 international matches with the Argentine T -shirt, it is currently placed from another perspective. “I played many years in the selected one, today I have ended.