Andrea Fuentes on Navigating the Transition from Athlete to Coach

Andrea Fuentes, head coach of the Spanish artistic swimming team, offers a candid look at her journey from a decorated swimmer to a mentor shaping new talents. In an interview with SEGRE, Fuentes emphasizes that her former coach, Anna Tarrés, instilled in her the belief in achieving the seemingly impossible through relentless effort. The transition to coaching, she notes, came with challenges, particularly the loss of immediate audience feedback during competitions, which she has learned to accept over time.

Fuentes highlights key coaching values: effort, teamwork, creativity, and innovation courage. She also focuses heavily on mental resilience, teaching her athletes that performance isn't life-or-death, and incorporates emotional management techniques like meditation and psychological support to help handle competitive pressure.

Advocating for inclusion, Fuentes points out that while artistic swimming is traditionally female-dominated and she hasn’t encountered the inequalities seen in other sports, she supports increasing male participation in her discipline. Her coaching philosophy prioritizes mental strength, humility, and passion as essential to success in sports.

Additionally, Fuentes was part of the inauguration of "Deportistas leridanas referentes 2025," an exhibition celebrating female athletes in Lleida, underscoring her broader commitment to promoting women's sports.

Her reflections offer valuable insight into the emotional and psychological intricacies of the athlete-to-coach career shift, underscoring the importance of mindset and inclusive growth in modern sports.