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Djuzeppe La MuraTrainer
Country:
 Italy |
Content:
Biography of Giuseppe La Mura
Giuseppe La Mura is an Italian doctor and rowing coach who has dedicated his entire life to the sport. Born and raised in Pompeii, Italy, La Mura's passion for rowing began when he joined the Circolo Nautico Stabia rowing club. He described it as an instant "enchantment" with the sport. Although he temporarily had to leave rowing to pursue his medical education, La Mura returned to it immediately after completing his studies.
La Mura's coaching career was influenced by his friend and the fact that Pompeii was also home to the "royal rowing family of Italy," the Abagnale brothers. It was with the Abagnale brothers, Carmine and Giuseppe, that La Mura won his first Olympic gold medal in the coxless four event at the 1984 Olympics. Four years later, the Abagnale brothers won another gold medal, a race that La Mura is particularly proud of. At the same Olympics in Seoul, the third Abagnale brother, Agostino, added another gold medal to the family collection by winning the men's coxless four event as part of the Italian team.
Throughout his career, La Mura has admired the technical skills of rowers such as the Abagnale brothers and the East German teams of the 1970s. He is especially inspired by the great German single sculler Thomas Lange. In 1993, La Mura became the technical director of the Italian Rowing Federation, and under his guidance, Italian rowing achieved success at the Olympic Games in Atlanta and Sydney, winning gold medals.
Coaching Style and Philosophy
La Mura's coaching style is based on intuition and perception. He tries to anticipate the technical, physiological, and psychological compatibility of the athletes and their approach to training. Over his career, he has noticed a change in athletes' attitudes towards intense training, with an increase in passion and a decrease in fear. His favorite warm-up exercises for rowers include long-distance running and overload exercises.
La Mura also emphasizes the importance of the psychological aspect of training. He has witnessed the negative consequences of nervous tension on Italian rowers, particularly at the World Championships held in Milan. He draws parallels to the Australian team at the Sydney Olympic Games, where nervous tension affected their performance. La Mura believes in creating a balanced and calm mindset for athletes to perform at their best.
Recognition and Future
In 2003, Giuseppe La Mura was honored with the FISA 2003 Coach of the Year award, recognizing his outstanding achievements in rowing coaching. La Mura expressed surprise and happiness upon receiving the award. He was nominated alongside Canadian coach Mike Spracklen, whom he greatly admires. La Mura's success and dedication to the sport have earned him numerous medals and accolades, but his passion for rowing continues to drive him forward.
If La Mura continues his successful coaching career, not only will his house require more space for his medals, but it may also need reinforcement to bear their weight.
