The last five years have provided nothing but sporting superiority for the Mediterranean nation who, for decades, were nothing more than Europe’s notorious underachievers. Something is changing in Spain, however, and the rest of the globe is frantically searching to know the secrets to the matadors’ recent success.

In tennis, Spain has won four of the last nine Davies Cups, while prodigal talent and world number one Rafael Nadal has, at the age of 23, won eight Grand Slam singles titles, the 2008 Olympic gold singles medal, 19 ATP Masters Series tournaments and remains the current Wimbledon champion.

In basketball, the Spanish national team were able to dominate in both the recent Eurobasket competition as well as at the Basketball World Cup, with the majority of national players serving NBA teams across the United States. 

Spaniards also reign supreme in their cycling endeavours and have won the Tour de France a total of twelve times. They have dominated cycling headlines over the last decade after producing talented exports such as Alberto Contador, Carlos Sastre and five-time Le Tour champion Miguel Indurain.

The Spanish Olympic team has brought national pride, too, as they jumped an impressive six positions in the official Olympic World Rankings after they finished in 9th place at the Beijing Games in 2008. International swimming, handball and motorcycling also seem to have the presence of Spanish frontrunners.

Most impressive in the Spanish sporting rise has to be the football team, however, who have grown from strength to strength since they triumphed in the EURO 2008 competition and went on to win the first World Cup in Royal Spanish Football history. 

Although Spain seems to be taking the sporting world by storm, team successes have not been easily attained and the country has put immense effort into sports management and planning. 

The Art of Planning

Spain’s journey to success began in 1992 when the country was granted the opportunity of hosting the Olympic Games in Barcelona. The Games promoted a large variety of Olympic sports within the country and brought about an increased enthusiasm for sport in general. 

Spain’s new found passion for sport would, in turn, affect an entire generation and the population’s avid support for their national teams continues to flourish to this day.

While Barcelona acted as the catalyst for sporting change in the country, concrete policies and meticulous planning seem to have done the rest.

Spain’s sporting successes are explained by a sports policy that has been rigorously applied at every level of sport across the country. Apart from the teaching and training done by schools, universities, public institutions and city councils, the Spanish government has also invested a large amount of time and money into Plan ADO (Association of Olympic Sports), a programme aimed at preparing athletes for professional Olympic careers.

Lessons learnt

While the rest of the world studies Spain from afar, South Africa has an opportunity of capitalising on the country’s advanced planning and experience. Like the Barcelona Games, the 2010 FIFA World Cup may also act as the ideal platform for our Rainbow Nation to invest in the growth of sport, as well as develop strong preparation strategies.  

With a healthy combination of professional planning and investment, South Africa could, in years to come, be the envy of the globe too.

 

0 comments | July 29, 2010 

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