Enrique teaches physics and astronomy here at SEK CIUDALCAMPO, but in his free time he is quite an athlete! He was willing to share his experiences with THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS LAB REPORT and we sure do appreciate his time!
1. Tell us about the highest level of volleyball you’ve played, what it was like, and some of the players you’ve played with.
I started playing volleyball quite late compared to my friends. I began at the age of 17, but I improved very fast because I had the chance to train with the senior team in my volleyball club. They were really good players. Some of them came from the same school as Rafael Pascual, the best Spanish player in recent years. One of the players was called to play in the Olympics twice, in Barcelona and Atlanta. It was a privilege to play with them. I learned a lot in very little time, but it was also quite hard. I trained 10 hours per week, with my junior team and with the senior one. Training is very physically demanding and very technical, too. At the beginning , I didn’t have the chance to play matches with them, but little by little, by working very hard, I earned a place on the first team and I could play with them. We played in the second national league, just one level below the best players in Spain. And of course, I had to combine all of this sports activity with good grades at high school, because otherwise my parents wouldn’t have allowed me to play sports at such a high level.
2. What does it take to reach that kind of level in sports?
Actually, the dedication was very high, but never leaving my responsibilities in school. My normal day was coming from school, having lunch, doing homework and going to train. And I had to go by bike because I got my driver’s license very late.
The discipline was the highest possible. I had a very demanding coach and since I started so late playing volleyball, I had to do my best in every training because all of the players were much better than me. Apart from all the training hours, I think I improved really quickly because I used to imagine all the technical movements before getting to sleep. It was like a mental training that helped me a lot.
My nutrition has always been very good, very balanced. But that’s because of my parents. I always had my dinner ready when I came home from training…
3. What other sports do you play and which are your favorite to play? Which are your favorite to watch?
I’ve also played soccer, basketball, hockey, track and field, tennis, cycling (as a way of transport), and now I run, climb from time to time and hike quite hard in the mountains.
My favorite sport to watch is not volleyball, which is a bit boring unless you see it live. I like to watch tennis, soccer, basketball… Actually my favorite moment to watch sports is the Olympics, where you can watch a great amount of sports that you can’t usually watch.
4. What/Who are your favorite teams and players?
In soccer, I liked Barcelona a lot last year. They marked the difference. I also loved watching the Spanish national soccer team in the World Championships. Iniesta, Mesi, Busquets, Puyol… These are the ones that I follow in matches.
I like the NBA very much, because they play another sport different from basketball…
I don’t miss a match with Rafa Nadal, because of his attitude. He is a gentleman in sports, and that doesn’t happen very often.
That’s the reason I’m not a fan of any soccer team, because they’ve lost the “class”, and they don’t seem to notice that they are the idols of the children all around the world.
5. Do you participate in Sports at SEK?
I try to play all the matches against students and I run every year the “Carrera Solidaria”.
6. What do you recommend to someone who would like to get more involved in volleyball and be more competitive?
It’s very difficult to get a high level in volleyball if you didn’t start very young, but anyway you can get enough level to enjoy it! Train at least twice a week, find a good trainer that understands what you want from sports, and try to do your best every time you have a ball in your hands.
7. What's your favorite basketball team?
Since I was a child, LA Lakers, with Magic Johnson.
8. Baseball team? (I will only accept THE YANKEES as an answer, by the way...)
Sorry, I don’t watch baseball at all. But if I did, of course The Yankees! ;)
9. Who is your favorite professional athlete and why?
When I watch athletes, I don’t have a favorite. I like them running, jumping and throwing. My favorite ones are Decathletes and Triathletes. They are superheroes to me.
10. What's your favorite food?
Probably, “croquetas” and “Canelones”. Sorry, I don’t know how to say those in English.
11. What music do you have in your ipod?
I don’t have an ipod or similar. I listen to music when I drive and when I’m at home. My favorite music is classical music but I also listen to mix lists from lots of artists: Queen, U2, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Jewel, Norah Jones, The Cranberries, Bob Dylan, Dire Straits… And some old music: Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Sinatra, Aretha Franklin…
12. Favorite color?
Mmm… When I was a child, most of my clothes were blue… But now, I would answer my car color: dark red.
13. Favorite flavor ice cream??
“Dulce de leche”, from Haagen Dazs.
Thank you, Enrique, for talking with us today!
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