[THAT People] Quentin Renard

My name is Quentin Renard and I am a sports coach in Casablanca where I have been living for 6 years now.

Coming from a family of sportsmen (my mother was in tennis and my father in running), I have been involved in different sports since I was very young (athletics, football…) before devoting myself fully to basketball. After joining a training centre at the age of 14 in Dijon, I started a career as a pro basketball player throughout France.

I have always been interested in the benefits of developing physical qualities on the basketball court.
It is with this idea that I started a diploma in American physical preparation with the aim of preparing my reconversion.

Because of a serious knee injury, I quit definitively professional basketball to focus on the development of a sports coaching activity. My initial idea was to return to the US but having visited Morocco a few times and with the encouragements of a close friend living here, I decided to try my luck in Casablanca.

In order to make a name for myself through my company Winner’s Circle Coaching, I started offering group sessions on the beach: the ANFA GIRLS WORKOUT. During my first year, my time was divided between group and individual coaching.

Since 2020, a French-trained coach joined the adventure and we now work together on individual coaching, team building in companies, sports weekends as well as the follow-up of high level athletes in Morocco and in France.

For the record, I set down my bags in Casablanca in 2016, at Ftour time in the middle of Ramadan. I was expecting to find a bustling city, but Casablanca was obviously deserted. You could say that I experienced the lockdown before its time…!

I was charmed by Casablanca and its buzzing atmosphere, which can seem confusing at first with all these construction works, cars and horns but which energy is incredibly contagious. I also like the fact that it is a city in constant evolution. Over the last five years, I have seen the city change with the construction of the Grand Mosque, the development of the Corniche and especially the creation of new green spaces.

I have also seen quite an evolution in the coaching and sport scene in general. Indeed, there are more and more actors in the fields of sport and nutrition, but unfortunately the quality does not always follow, which can sometimes devalue our activity. I have also noticed that there are more and more places to practice physical activities: on the Corniche, it is possible to rent football pitches, paddle, tennis courts, etc.

As a coach, the advice I would give (even if it may seem basic) is :

• Eat well. A healthy and balanced diet is essential for a healthy life in general. I advise you not to restrict yourself too much to avoid creating frustrations and therefore excesses.
• Regular physical activity. No matter how intense or how long, being physically active is essential for long-term health. You don’t have to do sprints every day, but walking, climbing stairs, not taking the car when you can walk is a good way to stay active, especially for people who spend their working day sitting behind a desk.
• Have good sleep pattern. Sleep is a major component of your health and, in terms of sport, it allows your muscles to develop. It is therefore imperative that you get enough sleep and of sufficient quality.

I am well aware that some of you may need extra motivation to work out. With a coach at home, you no longer have an excuse when I ring your doorbell with all the equipment to make you sweat! It’s a way for you to be consistent in your efforts. You will see real progress which will automatically motivate you to do more!

A coach can also help you achieve your goals, whether they are physical (fat loss, muscle gain) or athletic in preparation for competitions.

In any case, it is important to choose a coach who matches your expectations and can adapt to your physical specificities. Obviously, a high level athlete and a “weekend athlete” will not have the same needs and the coach must be able to offer a tailor-made sports programme.

I personally believe that it is always preferable to be accompanied by a qualified coach who knows what he is doing. Sports coaching requires real knowledge, especially about the physiognomic and anatomical problems of the human body. Your health is priceless and I would advise not to entrust your body to a stranger who won’t be able to advise you properly.