Lissete Martinez wants to keep improving as a coach, after near-miss at the 2022 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Lissete Martinez helped put Colombian rugby firmly on the map when she guided them to the final of the Women’s Rugby World Cup qualifying tournament in Dubai, early in 2022.
A semi-final victory over Kazakhstan was greeted with jubilant celebrations, but Colombia narrowly missed out on a trip to New Zealand later in the year when they were beaten by top seeds Scotland in the shoot-out final.
“I realised that I wanted to be a coach in 2013, when another coach invited me to train children,” Martinez told World Rugby.
“I like to contribute to the personal growth of players and I also enjoy doing something that I love.”
Having successfully transitioned to coaching, Martinez is now National Coach of Colombia’s women’s team, but that doesn’t mean she’s stopped learning and developing.
Her place on the Gallagher High Performance Academy has given her new opportunities to learn and meet other coaches who are also embarking on their respective journeys.
“The Academy has given me many tools that I’m excited to put into practice with my team. I had the opportunity to share experiences and get to know the other participants, such as Patricia García and Larissa Muldoon, who are on the same path to understanding the reality of coaching. Knowing how hard they have worked was enlightening.
“Interacting with coaches from around the world, developing a better understanding of the cultural differences and learning about a range of playing styles was invaluable.”
Lissete is now looking forward to the challenges that 2024 brings and hoping to lead Colombia to secure a place in WXV and to classify for the World Cup in 2025.