BASKETBALL SCHOOL "TORNADO" Mantas Lauraitis Takes the Helm of Kauno r. “Tornado–Tauras”: “We Want to Be Uncomfortable to Play Against
Kauno r. “Tornado–Tauras” will once again compete in the Regional Basketball League B Division this season. As every year, the core of the roster will consist of the oldest players from Tornado Basketball School, joined by several younger players.
This season, U18 head coach Mantas Lauraitis will take charge of the team, while Aivaras Grigaliūnas will become his assistant coach.
The step from youth to men's basketball
Last season, the coaches held opposite roles – Aivaras led the RKL team, while Mantas worked as his assistant.
The main goal of Kauno r. “Tornado–Tauras” remains the same – to help the oldest Tornado Basketball School players make a smooth transition from youth basketball into the men's game.
Competing in the RKL gives young players an opportunity to gain experience in a more physical and mature basketball environment, adapt to the demands of a higher level and prepare for the next stage of their sporting careers.
We thank Kaunas District Municipality for its support. The participation of Kauno r. “Tornado–Tauras” in the Regional Basketball League is partly funded through a project supported by Kaunas District Municipality. This support gives young basketball players the opportunity to gain valuable experience and take their first steps into men's basketball.
We spoke with Kauno r. “Tornado–Tauras” head coach Mantas Lauraitis about the experience he gained last season, his new role within the team, the goals for the upcoming season and the challenges awaiting the young players.
Last season you worked as Aivaras Grigaliūnas' assistant with the RKL team. What do you take from that experience now that you are stepping into the head coach role yourself?
Aivaras has been working with young Tornado KM players for many years, so he has accumulated a great deal of experience. By observing his work, I was able to see what he focuses on most, how he communicates with players and which details he emphasizes during practices and games.
Aivaras also allowed me to contribute my own ideas and discuss how the team should play. I gained a lot of knowledge and ideas from him that I was able to apply with my own team.
Overall, it was a very valuable experience. I am glad I had the opportunity to observe everything closely and learn from an experienced coach. It is great that we are switching roles this season, because this process will continue – we will still be able to work together, exchange ideas and share our experience.
Players born in 2009 will form the core of the team this season. What kind of basketball would you like this group to play, and what will be most important in shaping the team's identity?
Most of all, I would like us to be versatile and difficult for our opponents to predict. I want us to play fast but intelligent basketball – reading situations well, making good decisions and executing them properly.
The most important things will be energy, desire and discipline – those three qualities have to become the identity of our team. We are a young group taking our first steps in men's basketball, and without those qualities it would be very difficult to expect positive results.
For many of the players, the RKL will be a significant step into men's basketball. What do you expect from these young players, not only on the court but also in terms of their attitude towards work?
This will already be my eighth season working with these guys, so I have never had any problems with their attitude towards work. They are hungry, motivated, eager to win and determined to prove that they deserve an opportunity to establish themselves in professional basketball.
I want them to trust the process, not be afraid of making mistakes, but at the same time be able to learn from them. There will certainly be more than one or two mistakes, but that is a natural part of development.
The most important thing for us will be the process itself and the desire to improve – after every game, we want to feel that we have taken at least one step forward.
What would make this a successful season for you personally? Will you measure it more by the standings, or by how many players you manage to develop and prepare for a higher level?
I think it is quite difficult to develop and prepare a player without good team results. After all, nobody is interested in losers. So we will try to win every game – one point at a time.
Of course, we will not forget that player development and improvement are equally important. So I believe we will pursue both goals – achieving strong team results while developing players who are ready for the next stage of their careers.
What quality would you most like opponents to dislike about playing against your team this season?
I would like our opponents to dislike our energy and intensity most of all. From the first minute to the last, I want us to have the same desire to fight for every centimetre of the court, every ball, to defend and never allow our opponents to feel comfortable.
I want playing against us to simply feel uncomfortable – whatever the game situation may be, our opponents should know that nothing will come easily.
