Inna Kochubei, head coach of Ukraine's U-18 women's national team, has revealed the challenges her squad faces with just two weeks of preparation time before the upcoming European Championship. The Division B tournament is scheduled to take place in Lithuania from July 4-13, giving the team minimal time to prepare properly.
"This is actually very little time, especially considering this is the U-18 team - essentially a transitional age from youth to adult basketball. It's a kind of challenge for us," Kochubei explained.
The preparation began remotely in late May, with physical trainer Dmitry Bondarev and assistant coach Anna Shlykova sending assignments to players. These included not just physical conditioning tasks but also ball handling drills. The coach noted that players conscientiously completed all assignments and sent back video evidence of their work.
Kochubei faces a significant setback with the absence of Svetlana Polyantseva, who is dealing with health issues. "It's unfortunate she won't be with us, as she's a good player and fighter, and I was counting on her," the coach admitted.
Interestingly, many squad members will be eligible to play for the U-18 team again next year, giving them valuable experience now for future tournaments. The coach emphasized that all 12 players who make the final roster will need to contribute.
"All 12 players who make the final roster should play. It's not like we have six main players who carry the entire burden. No, they all need to play, there must be rotation, they need to help each other," Kochubei stressed.
When asked about potential team leaders, the coach pointed to Polina Tupalo, who has previous U-18 national team experience. For the point guard position, they're counting on Anna Dzyun, who has been playing in the USA, though quick acclimatization will be crucial.
By the way, Ukraine faces an additional challenge in the tournament structure - their group contains six teams while others have five, meaning they'll play one more game than teams in other groups.
Despite the obstacles, Kochubei maintains ambitious goals: "I always set maximum objectives for my players. We need to understand it will be difficult, but we must be ready." Can this young Ukrainian squad overcome their preparation limitations and make their mark in Lithuania? We'll find out soon enough.
