Viola Style: U17 Planning, Growth & Identity – Paolo Ginestra

The Eybl tournament reserved for U17s left many positive responses for the young neroarancio. The head of the youth sector of Redel Viola Reggio Calabria, Paolo Ginestra, takes stock. A 360° summary that once again underlines the club’s desire to train the new talents of tomorrow.

“Absolutely positive impressions upon returning from Milazzo. It was what we wanted, it’s what we want. Beyond the championships, these contexts are also needed to put our very young boys to the test, in contexts different from those to which they are normally accustomed. The objective is the growth of the athletes and as a function of the academy, trying to get as many players as possible into the first team. A path that obviously takes time, but we are satisfied with this initiative, and the many others that will follow.”

It should be remembered that the U17 neroarancio also includes many under-age kids in its roster.

“We are playing the U17 championship of Excellence with many 2010 and 2011 players. A two-year, multi-year project which, as I was saying, can lead to the training of tomorrow’s athletes. In the Milazzo tournament, in particular, we are satisfied with the four matches played, each different from the other, but in which in addition to having obtained two victories, I believe we saw moments of excellent basketball and great quality. This confirms the growth after just three months, both in terms of individuality both in terms of team and group, an essential characteristic in the sport of basketball, and the boys understood it”.

Ginestra continues.

“An extraordinary sense of belonging and identity have been created. This is something that must be inherent. The Pallacanestro Viola style is this. We also prefer to lose a few kids along the way, for various reasons, even by mutual agreement, but always tend to raise the level and put the kids in the best possible conditions to get to the top. Not everyone succeeds, it’s normal, even just to imagine what it means to experience basketball at an intense level, with five training sessions and then with the matches. This is important to make people understand and this is the our way of working and those who remain with us with conviction are those who fully embrace planning.”