Boston Area Youth Volleyball: Taking a trip to Italy
WESTON, Mass. — When I got the email from Boston Area Youth Volleyball (www.bostonareayouthvolleyball.com/international-volleyball-tours), organized by our very own Weston High School Volleyball Coach, Eileen Leblanc, I knew immediately that a trip to Italy was in my future. Not only would I be touring Venice, Florence and other areas of Italy, but I would get to play my beloved sport of volleyball with a mix of my fellow American travelers, including one of my closest Weston friends, Ainsley Fachner, and Italian players from two different cities in Italy. Needless to say, it was an unforgettable experience!
We started the week with a team welcome dinner in a small town outside of Venice, known as Padova by Italians and Padua by most Americans. It is a university town with many beautiful sights to see and shops and restaurants to enjoy. On our second day there, we began our training at a beach volleyball venue. It was so hot, but after working hard, we cooled off by dancing under the water from a hose.
Then, we went to Venice where we toured historic gems and took a scenic gondola ride. Life is teeming everywhere in Venice with people traveling primarily by water on the vast canal system or on foot across the cobblestone bridges and winding streets.
After exploring, we had the opportunity to play with a local team, Cus Venezia. We trained both with our American coaches as well as with the Italian coaches, and then we played on mixed teams made up of Italians and Americans. In Italy, their coaching style is different from the coaching style here on the East Coast. Whereas we train a lot in gameplay and specific positions, the Italian players start training at a much earlier age and do not specialize until later in their volleyball careers, thus making all of the Italian players very well-rounded.
On the final day with the Venice team, we had dinner with them and were able to communicate notwithstanding the language barrier. The Italian girls had been learning English since they were young and watched a lot of American shows to continue learning. It was such a special experience, including the fact that I made some new friends from Venice.
Next, we headed to Florence, where we toured and then learned how to make gelato, eating as many free samples as we wanted. My personal favorite was Nocciola (hazelnut) gelato. I even got a certificate for completing the gelato-making course! We also visited the beautiful Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, and its 468 steps to the top were definitely worth the view.
In Florence, we trained with an incredible, local team, Firenze, at the training venue for Savino Del Bene Scandicci, a professional Italian volleyball team. One day, we had the privilege of playing with one of their professional players, 19-year-old Ekaterina Antropova. I was definitely starstruck and could not believe I was playing with one of the best players in the world!
We concluded our trip with a visit to the Chianti wine region (the parents definitely enjoyed that part of the trip!), the Leaning Tower of Pisa and a small beach in an inlet off the coast. We also had a team farewell dinner.
Over the entire week, we were able to experience so much. We saw so many wonders of Italy, experienced Italian culture, including the food (especially gelato!), language and way of life, made American and Italian friends, and played lots of volleyball. Not many people can say that they got to play the sport they love in a beautiful country overseas. This trip is something that I will never forget, and I am endlessly grateful to have been given this opportunity. Ciao Italia, thank you for all the memories!
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