The FFBB offered the senior team 1 to be drafted into a National Women’s 1 for the 2024-2025 season. A proposal finally declined by the club.
The rumor had been circulating for a few days and finally, at the beginning of the week, the news was official. In a letter addressed to the club, the French Basketball Federation offered the Senior 1 team to be drafted into the National Women’s 1 for next season. The club’s board of directors and the team’s sports staff had 48 hours to respond. By mutual agreement, all decided to decline this offer, while thanking the federation for having proposed it.
A challenge met
At the end of last season, the promotion to NF1 had been decided as a challenge that the club, as a whole, had to take up. How could we refuse this promotion after the 2 magnificent seasons that the club had experienced? Which had seen the Senior team win 40 matches out of 44 played and experience 2 consecutive division promotions? “We owed it to ourselves, staff, players and volunteers, and we owed it to the supporters who accompanied us in this adventure” said Simon Simionato, the club president. Challenge accepted, challenge met.
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ES Gimont basketball: a look back at a season of challenges and successes, praised by the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra
The season was very difficult in every way, sportingly, financially and humanly. However, no regrets. Despite the many defeats against more seasoned teams, more moneyed and mainly made up of professionals, the Gimontoises did not deserve it. They even made teams like Le Poinçonnet and ASVEL tremble (respectively 3rd and 2nd in the group) or allowed themselves the luxury of beating the legendary Limoges team at home. Everyone, players, staff, volunteers, managers suffered and struggled during this season. However, everyone came out of it grown and enriched by a constructive experience.
Recruitment already completed
Was it necessary to accept the NF1 draft proposal? ESG Basket received this proposal once recruitment for next season was completed. FFBB rules require that transfers be finalized before June 30. It is therefore no longer possible to change the team composition after this date, except in very exceptional cases. The coaches of the Senior 1 team, Julie Bergada and Sylvie Gruszczynski, have done a very good job of recruiting and have built a team capable of holding its place in NF2 next season.
Projecting this team into NF1 would be pretentious and would not meet the sporting project of the team and the club. “A season in NF1 is built and prepared sportingly and financially”, declares Simon Simionato in perfect agreement with the coaches on this subject. “We do not rule out applying again in 2 to 3 years to access this level of competition, however, if we return, it will have been prepared and anticipated.”
In the meantime, training officially resumes at the beginning of August and the objective is set: to reach the play-offs and delight the public.
2024-07-16 19:02:05
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