Elite Athletes and Mothers at CB Canarias: A Debate on Conciliation
Three prominent figures in basketball, volleyball, and beach volleyball share their experiences on motherhood and high-level sports.
By Rayco Marrero González
••4 min read
IA
Generic image of a volleyball net on a beach court.
Three former elite athletes, with distinguished careers in basketball, volleyball, and beach volleyball, share their experiences on motherhood and sports, highlighting the advancements and ongoing challenges in balancing family and professional life.
Former Spanish sports figures, who represented the national team in basketball, volleyball, and beach volleyball, have shared their experiences regarding motherhood and elite sports. These athletes, now mothers of young talents linked to the CB Canarias youth academy, offer a unique perspective on the challenges of combining family life with a high-level sports career.
The difficulty of reconciling motherhood with professional sports is a complex issue with multiple facets. Although progress has been made, it remains a significant challenge, especially in certain disciplines. One of the athletes managed to combine her Olympic career with motherhood on two occasions, while the other two had to wait until retirement to become mothers.
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"I never wanted to interfere, because I was also a player and a psychologist. Parents and families sometimes, unintentionally, get involved wanting to advise, and perhaps the guidelines are not correct. I always wanted him to have fun. I am very clear that it is his coach who directs him and his decisions are his own."
On the occasion of Mother's Day, the audiovisual channel of CB Canarias brought together these athletes with their children, who are also involved in the world of basketball. Their testimonies offer valuable reflections on motherhood and sports, highlighting the importance of accumulated experience across different disciplines and generations.
One of the former basketball players, who was 50 times an absolute international with Spain, comes from a family lineage linked to this sport. After a distinguished career, she combined her sports career with psychology studies and later held political positions, currently serving as the Sports Councilor for the Island Council. Her son, a pivot in the U22 League, was discovered by chance and has developed his basketball career on the island and in Canada.
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"If we compare it to the time when I also played, I think progress has been made. One of the reasons why I stopped playing was because I wanted to be a mother. We must also continue to advance in co-responsibility, in trying to get partners to help athletes. Trying to ensure that this break for motherhood, for example, does not mean you stop playing, but that you can be a mother and then continue with your career."
Another protagonist, one of the best volleyball players from Tenerife of all time, debuted very young and accumulated more than 80 international caps, participating in European Championships and winning multiple league and cup titles. She retired at 27 and now works as a teacher. Her son also plays in the CB Canarias youth academy. She emphasizes that, although progress has been made, there are still steps to take in conciliation.
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"There are still steps to take. In terms of training, today you can pursue your studies while being a mother, albeit with effort and dedication. In my time, I didn't even consider it. Nowadays, it's a bit more feasible. Clubs, at a contract level, already contemplate it. Before, it wasn't contemplated. It was one of the clauses they put in; you couldn't get pregnant during the contract."
Finally, a prominent beach volleyball player, European runner-up and with several Olympic diplomas, is a benchmark in conciliation. She has participated in four Olympic Games, two of them as a mother. Currently, she manages a specialized health center with her husband. Her son is also part of the CB Canarias school. She highlights the importance of institutional and family support.
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"At an institutional level, there is still a little more support needed. It's true that they maintain your points, they maintain your scholarship, but the issue of sponsorships is private, you depend a bit on the good faith or goodwill of the sponsors. I've been very lucky. They always maintained their support for me during both maternities. After the first two children, after becoming a mother, I was able to return and qualify for two more Olympic Games."
All agree that, although significant progress has been made in integrating motherhood into elite sports, there is still a long way to go to achieve full conciliation and stronger support for female athletes.
