Closing my career in wheelchair basketball

As many of your may have probably noticed, I have been involved in wheelchair basketball for quite some time, 14 years to be precise.

I started playing in 2009 when I was still attending the Bachelor in Padua (Italy) as my roommate from the Freshman Year, brought his wheelchairs into the college where we lived. I became faster than him and he challenged me on the court. There started my adventure in Wheelchair basketball.

Here is a picture of me, at my last match with the Padua team, that was called CUS Padova. That team was the first one with University background as most of us were actually studying at the University of Padua.

I played my first 4 years there, I build serious friendships that lasted across years and also in games where I met Cus Padova as my opponents. There always have been a good respect and special relationship with those guys and girls and my best ever matches played have always been against them with an average of 20 points scored per each game. That’s why they always tried to tackle me with their best defender BUT lucky for me I have always been much fast and agile onto the field.

Here below is my last match against CUS Padova, before Covid took over and this was also my last match with the team from Verona. From 8minute 10 sec you can see me firing two 3 pointers one after the other in a desperate attempt to reach the opponents that were some points ahead.

During my experience in Verona’s team, I also created a huge project to bring and present wheelchair basketball in the schools, where for some years, while I coordinated it, we covered each year more than 2000 students, making all of the trying the wheelchairs that we were bringing to schools.

Here above, me and Valentino starting a game into a high school.

After a small break due to Covid, the team from Reggio Emilia, where I played half of a championship while I played both in Verona and Reggio Emilia, they called me to train the team and becoming their coach. I have never been the coach of a team I I felt electrified by the idea and the opportunity so I accepted.

Here below my last played game with Reggio Emilia, where we won in Milan by 47-45 in a great match.

And here as a coach at my last tournament held in Cesenatico, very close to the seaside.

You can see me with the fisher-hat :D

And here, with the umbrella to give some fresh shadow to the most deserving athlete.

It’s been a love lasted 14 years where I learnt a lot, I enjoyed a lot the game, the people and bringing value to aspirant athletes.

As any good story, soon or later and end comes and after some relevant indications and synchronisms I got through the last year, the decision to leave the space came almost natural.

Luckily, it’s been a very happy ending as all the people cheered me with joy, thanking me for the work and values I brought.

All pictures are from the Author