Christian Crudeli and Alex Geddes are 1st generation alumni of the EHCB Coaches Academy and this summer was special to them.

Coach Crudeli joined Sergio Scariolo (photo) and his coaching staff during the preparation period of the Spanish national team for the Olympic Qualifiers and the Paris Games, while coach Geddes is currently an assistant coach in the Montenegro women’s national team, competing in the FIBA women's world cup pre-qualifiers. 

"I have benefited from the networking opportunities around the world"

Coach Crudeli had a unique experience for 40 days in Malaga, Madrid, Alicante and Valencia.

"Working alongside such a prestigious coaching staff and talented players was an eye-opening experience", says the coach. "I gained invaluable insights into the intricacies of basketball coaching at the highest level, from strategic planning to hands-on training sessions. The dedication and professionalism of Coach Scariolo and his team were truly inspiring, and I feel privileged to have been part of their journey toward Olympic qualification".

This opportunity is also a direct result of the EHCB Coaches Academy program, as coach Crudeli admits: “This great opportunity arose thanks to the EHCB Executive Director, Goran Sasic, who selected me to have an interview with Coach Scariolo some months ago. As a student of the EHCB Coaches Academy 1st generation, I have benefited from the knowledge imparted during the following generations, from the annual congresses with the best coaches in Europe, and from the networking opportunities around the world". 

Two alumni united for Montenegro

Alexander Geddes, who is also the head coach of Veszprém Basketball Club in Hungarian Pro B, got a chance to be a national team assistant coach through the EHCB Coaches Academy program. 

As he explains, it was another fellow EHCB Coaches Academy Alumnus, coach Jelena Skera who gave him the job in the Montenegrin national team: "My involvement with the board has led directly to my current work with the Montenegro National Team. Coach Skera is an alumnus of the 4th generation so we were able to connect via the association, meet properly at our congress in Athens this summer, and now work together to try and achieve Montenegro’s goal of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in their countries history".

The 24-year-old Geddes is off to a spectacular start thanks to the network of the EHCB: "I have met so many incredible coaches who have given so much time to help me learn and grow as a coach and it has led to so many opportunities that simply wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been part of the EHCB Community. I encourage all coaches with the desire to grow and experience new opportunities to immediately sign up for the EHCB Coaches Academy. It is the single best thing you can do to learn, develop and step by step to advance your career".