Jose Maria Buceta Named GB Senior Women’s Coach

By Sam Neter on October 5, 2015

Jose Maria Buceta has been appointed head coach of Great Britain Senior Women and will oversee their forthcoming EuroBasket Women 2017 qualification campaign.

The respected Spaniard will hold the coaching reins when GB tip-off in Montenegro on 21 November, before then stepping out on home soil against Italy at the Amaechi Basketball Centre in Manchester on 25 November.

Buceta brings vast experience of the women’s game, having worked with female players for several decades.

Earlier in his career, Buceta was coach of the Spanish women’s national team for eight years and took them to fifth spot at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

He was also Technical Director for women ́s basketball for the Spanish Basketball Federation and then between 2009 and 2012, Buceta was head coach of the Bulgaria national team.

Now he is relishing the opportunity to get back into the international game with Great Britain, including working with the next generation of players and harnessing his impressive expertise and wealth of experience to further enhance the development pathway.

“For me, it is a great honour to be the head coach of the Great Britain national team,” said Buceta.

“This qualification will be difficult for two main reasons – primarily because EuroBasket Women 2017 will have a reduced field of 16 teams instead of 20.

“Secondly, there will not be much time for preparation and players in the USA may not be able to attend.

“However, we have to adapt and I believe that the aim of qualification is possible if we play to our maximum.”

He continued, “Montenegro are a strong team and have shown this during the last three EuroBasket Women tournaments.

“In theory, our first game will be the most difficult of the whole round robin.

“Italy also have experienced players and we can’t look past Albania – even if they look the weakest team of the group, because everyone should be respected and all games are important.

“Our short-term goal is to quickly build the team to be able to compete and take any chances to win against Montenegro and Italy during November.

“I am determined to do my very best and I’m looking forward to starting this challenging project of working with the senior team and younger players.”

Buceta holds a PhD in Psychology and is a Professor of Sport Psychology at UNED University in Madrid. He gained his MSC in the UK at the University of Manchester.

He has also spent time working with FIBA, Real Madrid and many others clients on the mental preparation of international referees, players and coaches.

Buceta will take up his post with immediate effect and will initially serve for all of the EuroBasket Women 2017 qualifying windows.

Image Credit: FIBA

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