The life of Jesus Cruz in the hill is like that of any other Cuban. His routine does not escape the daily difficulties on the island. However, at 43, Cruz holds a unique responsibility throughout the country: to be the coach of the national volleyball team in his male category.
It wakes up as early as possible to try to be the first in each training. On more than one occasion, the morning has surprised him walking towards the Cuban Volleyball School. Sometimes I rent a car, but it is a luxury that cannot afford every day. Cruz does not receive a special salary for training Cuba. “I charge as a primary teacher or any other teacher; despite this, I effort myself to fulfill my work,” he says Oncuba.
From its stage as a central in ancient Cuban preselections, what has been the most to be a coach?
All. From my experience as a athlete to the interaction with several coaches who helped in my training. People like Gilberto Herrera and Roberto García marked me and they were a guide to dedicate myself to training later. Of course, the past as a athlete always gives a clearer vision.
You worked in lower categories with several of the volleyballists who today make up the national squad of seniors. Which has seen the greatest growth?
I can say that everyone has improved a lot. Most were mine students in the U-19 category. I cannot stop naming cases such as Miguel Ángel López, who has done very well in the leagues he has played, and Javier Concepción, which has become one of the best blockers of the latest leagues of nations (VNL).
Regarding Miguel Ángel López, he is often noted that he does not yield the same at club level as when he represents Cuba. What opinion deserves that criterion?
Well, that signaling has not only done Miguel Ángel, also others. But we must bear in mind that the tournaments at the selection level are different from those of clubs. For example, in clubs you face teams of your very quality, but also other sets well below. With respect to the selections, there are less weak equipment, and in tournaments such as VNL, the level is very even. Luckily, in this edition we could alternate the players. They are very different dynamics.
From the abyss to ecstasy or vice versa: the infinite cycle of Cuban volleyball
Another situation very commented by the fans is the difference in international rubbing between coaches and players of the national team. How do you and your coaching staff, after spending the year in Cuba, up to the height of the Cuban volleyballists who arrive after competing abroad?
For anyone it is a secret that the work that clubs do is very different from ours. But well, from Cuba we have access to several of the boys’ training abroad. The ideal thing would be to be present, or follow them in real time, but we always try to be aware.
We also access all their statistics and watch over the functions that each player performs. Sometimes two very good coincide in the same position, and we have to adjust them here to reinforce a weak point.
To follow the matches, it is based on a weak connection by mobile data, which come out of my pocket. In the Cuban Volleyball School we have Wi-Fi but a lot of work is usually passed with that signal, it is almost always faster with the data to download the links and get the numbers. Several colleagues, with a less limited Internet than ours, collaborate in the search for information.
When comparing the logistics of the Cuban team with that of other elite casts, what are the differences?
We still have a lot to be on par with the elite in that sense. We have a foreign statistic, but we have one, while the other teams move with two or three. First level staff are usually 12 to 14 members, among which several physiatrists, physical and doctors appear. It is more than three coaches. In addition, each squad carries 16 players, two more in case a decline is presented
The 2025 edition of the VNL departed to Cuba its best historical performance in a contest of which they are part since 2023. The Caribbean reached the quarterfinals after six wins and the same number of collapses in the regular phase. The Cubans broke their own barriers against seemingly invincible rivals. They managed to overcome Serbia, after 12 years; To Poland, after 15 years, already Netherlands, after 22 years. On the individual level, Marlon Yant, leader scorer of the event; José Israel Massó, eighth with more points of the tournament, and Javier Concepción, with the fourth best block brand in the LID.
What differences did you appreciate between the Cuba of the VNL 2025 and the one that ended in ninth place in 2024?
The team has understood that great contenders can be won. In the world ranking there is a group of teams that have remained among the top five in the last ten years, and you cannot think that it is enough that a Cuban plays well in a certain league. Teams such as Canada and Argentina, of several players in Italy and Poland, could not move on to the direct elimination round in this VNL.
Cuba opened the tournament by giving Brazil its only defeat in the regular section and there are already two consecutive victories against South Americans in the VNL What are the keys?
The characteristics of them are very similar to ours. It is an aggressive and fiery game. Then they fit more with our weapons. In addition, it is a classic that everyone always wants to play.
Perhaps the victory against Germany was the one that most demanded that the Cubans, because just hours before that clash there was a half template in Belgrade due to irregularities to coordinate the trip. Given that difficulty, how is this commitment planned?
We are looking for the players to first reach Serbia. And as we had a very bad first week, we needed victory. Despite the exhaustion for the long trip, we could not afford to lose.
That triumph was very important because it put us in a favorable mood to discuss the rest of the week. The 20 -hour scales are extremely uncomfortable. I would like to travel more comfortably, but it is not in my hands.
However, 3-1 over Poland rumbled throughout Cuba. What was the key to bending the Poles?
In response to the last game we had made against them in the last VNL, where Wilfredo León was immense, we knew that the Polish coach would open with his best cards, including León. We have Massó in the rotation, which is a good corner blocker, and next to our statistic, we look for a way that Massó coincided with León. At least at the beginning we were given what we planned, León in Zone Cuatro and Massó blocking in zone two. Those first moments were crucial.
When Cubans have to face nationalized by other countries, how does the group welcome?
As León said in an interview, although he was born in Cuba, he is representing another country and has to do the job. In the same way, we have to be professionals and exploit the weakness of the adversary, without seeing if this arose from the Cuban school. León will not loosen against us, nor will we loosen against him.
However, that did not prevent certain gestures from León with the Cuban squad during his stay in Poland …
He got us the place where we stayed for three nights after the last week of the qualifier. It wasn’t free. The stay were paid there, but thanks to León we could solve faster. In addition, he was a athletes like Robertlandy Simón and David Fiel when he played for Cuba. Those relationships will never lose them.
An issue that hit Cuba during the VNL was that its starting libero, Yonder García, was not full with the team. His place was taken by a rearrange player. Why was Bryan designated for this function?
Yander had a personal situation with his mother, who is going through health complications, and had to move to Havana urgently. We had another libero in plans, Alain Gorguet, who could not be for personal issues, and having no other player of that position with visa to replace, we chose because he would acquire experience and see firsthand the games at this level.
Let’s talk about the 258 Marlon Yant points in this VNL …
Marlon comes with a spectacular development. In this VNL he assumed a leading role to help the team. That gave to the level with the level we know that he has and that he managed to explode on this occasion. For his youth, we believe he will continue to improve. He was working very well his physical preparation in Russia, and we maintained that job.
It is always essential to meet with each player who arrives from his league after seven months in which the contact was only telephone.
Cuba capable of beating contestants such as Poland and Brazil, yields to less strong teams such as China. Why sometimes Cubans let out more affordable games?
In that match against China for the last date of the regular stage of this VNL, we were favorite. However, we lost 3-2. As it was a game that directly gave the classification to the next round, without having to wait for other results, that emotional burden led us to make many mistakes that matched the game actions.
Sometimes against rivals of less caliber, invoices spend that the opposite will decrease, instead of imposing us. That is something we still lack, end the games at key moments and win against the least strong without leaving doubt.
