JOSÉ ROBERTO GUIMARÃES
José Roberto Guimarães was born in Quintana, a city 500Km away from São Paulo. His career as a player started in 1967 playing for Randi Esporte in Santo André. This team changed its name for Aramaçan and later to Pirelli, where Zé Roberto played as a setter from 1979 to 1982.
“Maybe that was the reason why I became a coach. The setter is that player that keeps contact with all the team. It is easier for him to get used to the attack style of other players, who gives him a better vision of the game and creates a closer relationship between the setter and the coachâ€, explained Zé Roberto.
After Pirelli, the Brazilian head coach played for OlÃmpico (1982), Atlético Mineiro (1983), Paulistano (1984), Banespa (85/86), Transbrasil (87) and ended up his career playing for Asbac (1988).
As a National Team player, Zé Roberto won the gold medal in the South American Championship twice (73 and 75) and finished in seventh place in the Olympic Games of Montreal (1976).
In 1988, Zé Roberto started his career as a coach, training Eletropaulo women’s team. In the following three years, he worked for Pão de Açúcar. Meanwhile (89/90), Mr. Guimarães was the assistant coach of Mr. Bebeto de Freitas at the Men’s Brazilian National team. In 1991, he started to coach the Youth and Junior categories, winning the silver medal in the Women’s World Championship.
In 1992, he achieved the most important title of his career: the gold medal in the Olympic Games of Barcelona, with the Brazilian Men’s Team. After that, he kept on winning medals and good results: first place in the Top Four (Japan/1991); first place in the World League (Brasil/1993) and first in the South American Championship (1993); bronze medal in the World League (1994) and 5th place in the World Championship (Greece/1994); silver medal in the World League (1995), gold in the South American Championship (1995) and bronze in the World Cup (Japan/1995); third place in the World League (1996) and 5th in the Olympic Games of Atlanta (1996).
After finishing his cycle in the National team, Zé Roberto started to coach Banespa men’s team, where he won the gold medal at the Superliga 96/97 – the Brazilian Championship. After that, he coached Dayvit, a women’s team, ending Superliga in 5th place. In the following season he left the courts and worked as a volleyball and football manager.
Zé Roberto was back at volleyball in 2001 to coach BCN/Osasco, and during this season he was second place at the Superliga Championship.
In 2003, Zé Roberto started to work as the head of the Brazilian Women’s National Team. At the same year he won the South American Championship and was became second place at the World Cup.
In 2004, the team won the gold medal in the Grand Prix, and finished in fourth place in the Olympic Games. At the Superliga, José Roberto Guimarães conquered the gold medal coaching Finasa/Osasco.
During the 2005 season, the Brazilian National female team conquered all its tournaments. The first gold came in the Courmayeur Championship, in Italy. After that, the first place in the Montreux Volley Masters, in Switzerland. The main title was the Grand Prix: the team won its fifth title, and Paula was chosen the best player. Brazil also won the Qualification Tournament to the 2006 World Championship, the South American Championship and the World Grand Champions Cup.
In 2006, Mr. Guimarães’ team kept winning. Brazil was first place in the Courmayeur Championship, the Montreux Volley Masters, the Pan-American Cup, and the Grand Prix. After that, he was second place in the World Championship in Japan.
In 2007, the Brazilian team was silver medal in Pan-American Games, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and in the World Cup, in Japan. After this competition, the team went to Grand Prix and finished it in the fifth place and won the South American Championship.
Last season was a mark in Ze Roberto’s career, as the Head Coach became the first in the world to win Olympic gold medals with male and female teams, as Brazil bet the USA 3-1 in the gold medal match. In the same season, Brazil also won the World Grand Prix and the Final Four.
In 2009, up to now, there were 40 matches, and only one defeat. The team opened the season winning Montreux Volley Masters for the fifth time. After that, the Brazilian Team won the second gold medal at the Pan American Cup, the eighth gold medal at the World Grand Prix, Qualified for the 2010 World Championship , won the second gold medal at the Final Four, and the sixteenth gold medal at the South American Championship.