From representing Brazil on the world stage to coaching Canadian national teams, it’s safe to say Adriana Bento knows beach volleyball.
Born and raised in Brazil, Bento rose to the top of the world in beach volleyball, compiling 20 top-10 finishes, six top-five finishes, and a gold medal in FIVB tournaments. She was a three-time South American champion, consistently ranked in the top-six players in Brazil. She finished fifth at the 1999 Pan Am Games in Winnipeg.
Moving to Canada in 2010, Bento turned her attention to coaching. Starting as an assistant coach for the University of Toronto, she’s gone on to become an assistant coach with the National Beach Team and the head coach of the NextGen team. She’s also the indoor volleyball head coach at Centennial College. Starting out coaching the women’s team, in 2019 she was also given the reigns of the men’s team.
Volleyball Canada recently had a chance to talk with Bento about her coaching career and some general thoughts on coaching in the sport.
