In the heart of Capo di Leuca, where Italian youth volleyball is experiencing the excitement of the BigMat National Youth Under-15 Men’s Finals, there’s also space for the stories and lessons of those who have written indelible pages of Italian volleyball history.
Among the guests at the event is Team Manager of Gas Sales Bluenergy Volley Piacenza Alessandro “Fox” Fei, a historic champion of the Italian national team and the protagonist of an extraordinary career for both club and national teams, present in Salento alongside the youngsters of the red and white Under-15 team. A champion among the champions of tomorrow, still capable of transmitting values, experiences, and advice to the youngsters who have come from all over Italy to pursue their dream of winning the Italian championship, as he shared his thoughts with Fabrizio D’Alessandro for Fipav Puglia.
“It’s nice to see how much the kids care,” Fei says, “and to try to give them some advice. You can sense how much they want to pursue their dream.”
A dream he also lived, starting from a small town, Fogliano della Chiana, before taking flight to Serie A and a career full of successes.
During the interview, Fei also recalled the most difficult moments of his athletic growth, emphasizing the importance of not giving up in the face of adversity: “When you arrive at a major club and results may not come immediately, you start to believe in yourself less. In those moments, you have to persevere and have people and clubs capable of helping you grow.”
Among the most moving memories of his extraordinary career, the Italian champion cited the 1998 World Cup, spent alongside the “Generation of Phenomena”: “I was still a boy, and seeing those champions, their approach to matches and their desire to win, was something incredible.”
Finally, his message to the players of the national finals, who had come to Salento from all over Italy: “Have fun, work hard, and persevere. Even if you go through difficult times or lose a few matches, keep pushing.”
