BA: “From Varese to the USA, I’ll tell you about my American dream”

Seven thousand three hundred and fifty kilometers, six hours short of the time zone, the view lost in the blue of the Atlantic touches the wonder of the Bermuda Islands. The new life of Andrea Scapolo, 23-year-old Lavino Mombelo goalkeeper, passes right through the distance that separates his hometown of Varese County from his new home, South Carolina, the 24th most populous US state, right away. overlooking the ocean. “I am forty-five minutes from the beach – says Andrea smiling – every now and then we go to Myrtle Beach, the most famous and most beautiful; I like the climate, it is always hot, 18-20 degrees on average even in December, the cold does not even know what It is, unlike I was before, in New Hampshire, where I’ve suffered so much, one of the reasons I’ve changed the city.”

From Varese to the USA

–

Before trying on the stars and stripes, Andrea played in Varese, where he experienced two failures on his skin, the second of which was especially painful: “I did not live these two periods well, I especially regretted the last stage because I played a good year, but also because I should have been Captain the following season. I wanted to do more, but it just wasn’t possible.” Then, while he was finishing his university studies (he received a degree in communication sciences from Inzobria in Varese), he continued the path with “Yes We College”, and completed, Arms and Luggage, Papers, in early August 2021, he traveled to the United States. First stop was Franklin Pierce University in Ring, New Hampshire, where I combined study and football. “I lived my first experience from August to December, matches every three days, the season does not last long, and then I decided to return to Italy without playing the spring season, which is played from January to April; the team was first in the standings, we won 21 matches out of 22 We were the favorites to win the final in the Ncaa Championship, but unfortunately we missed the penalty shootout.”

Departure and return

–

The return to Italy was marked by an unpleasant episode: “It was one of my first evenings after my return in February. I went to a disco in Milan with my friends and we were attacked at the exit. Unfortunately, I can say that I am happy in the end, we were not seriously hurt, I Sorry just to lose the necklace my father (who passed away a few years ago, and whose relationship with Andrea was very close, editor) gave me.” A short break in Switzerland and continued online studies have given way to a return to American soil, this time at Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina, where the season is currently underway and which, likewise many injuries, has a steady trend.

another kick

–

With players of different nationalities, the differences can be noticed a lot: “The Americans are more physical, the Italians and Europeans are much stronger at the technical and tactical level.” Specifically, there are only four Americans and twenty-eight foreigners on the team, including three Italians; Andrea Scapolo, 23-year-old Gabriel Cavarero – former Chiere player – right/left winger and Daniel Franceschetti, born in 2000, right-back and central defender. Andrea carried the American dream in his heart from a young age, as he himself says: “I have always wanted to have an experience abroad and especially in the United States, which I loved when I came to visit my uncle Cristiano (Bachelor, former Serie A player, editor) who lived and worked here. for twenty years.” In the United States, the sport is “a very serious experience, and there is meticulous work by all the staff, including the medical staff; many details are taken care of such as the structures, which are exceptional and the areas. The season lives a lot in programming, also because it is short, they are four Whole months include the regular season, the qualifiers and the finals. And here a weak point is the referees, who are not really excellent, they make many mistakes, even petty ones, they are not yet at the level of the Italian and European referees.” From the goalkeeper to the scorer … Moment of the moment for Andrea, who also scored a few weeks ago an all-Italian goal, a decisive result of the result: “We were playing against the Universidade Montevallo, the third day of the tournament, we were dominant, I don’t know how, we ended up Ending up 2-1; in the 1990s, in the last action, one of my Italian teammates went to take a corner kick, centered in the area, and as soon as I received the ball, I kicked in the half, and scored my first open-play goal in the career It was a great emotion “

road

–

The skill among the posts is increasing more and more, as can also be seen from the admission that men’s soccer “Defensive Player of the Week” happened a few days ago: “We play two games a week and the league always evaluates the best players by role. Since I finished both games clean, I’ve got This award; in America they look at statistics a lot, they highlight every little thing.” There is a basic culture different from that of Italy: “The Americans are very welcoming and helpful, they help you from all points of view, even if they don’t know you, as it happened to me as soon as I landed at the airport where a lady who saw me a little lost, escorted me. They are quite organized and programmed people: Even though they are very quick and quick to do things, they are still able to give people proper attention, and although there are also obviously downsides, I like them very much.” Andrea Scapolo’s love and passion for football and America began from afar and was also formulated by his uncle Cristiano, with whom the relationship was wonderful: “We are very close because in Cincinnati, about two hours flying from me, we practically always feel the other and the former; this summer we spent a month together in Utah and then In Hawaii, we have a really great relationship.” Returning to Italy or residing in the United States, Andrea – who is currently doing her MBA thanks to a scholarship – has not decided: “I haven’t experienced America yet. In other ways, I want to try to get work experience and see how it goes, And who knows if I like it, I may not decide to move here permanently.”