There are times in the season when time accelerates. It doesn’t warn you, it doesn’t give you much time to think about it. It just arrives. And it demands you be ready. For Giovanni Tosatto, nineteen-year-old libero for Belluno Volley, that moment took shape at the “Sguaitzer” sports hall, in the closing stages of the first leg of the Serie A3 Credem Banca playoff quarterfinals. When Nicolò Hoffer stopped, it was his turn to come on. Without warning, without a safety net.
STARTING POINT – Sunday, April 12 (6:00 PM), at the VHV Arena, the Rhinos will play for a spot in the semifinals against Gabbiano FarmaMed Mantova, already defeated 3-1 in Lombardy. But that victory is just the starting point. Because the postseason is never satisfied with the past. And in this new chapter, Tosatto could have an even more central role. “Making my debut in the Serie A3 playoffs? It was a great feeling. And also a great responsibility.”
SILENT WORK – He states it without emphasis, with the ease of someone who knows the journey is just beginning. And it’s the fruit of quiet work, built week after week. “I’ve always had a good relationship with my counterpart, Hoffer, ever since the season began. So much so that I’m very disappointed about his injury, even though, fortunately, Nicolò’s physical problem isn’t particularly serious. At the same time, I’m excited to be able to play in a playoff game and contribute, should I be called upon.”
READING AND INSTINCT – It’s the dual nature of sport: on the one hand, the absence of a teammate, on the other, the opportunity that opens up. And it’s essential to know how to maintain balance. But, at the appointment, Tosatto arrives with the serenity of someone who has always given his all in the gym: “Thanks to the consistency of my training sessions during the week, I feel like I’ve improved since the start of the season, especially on defense.” Defense, indeed. The territory of liberos. The territory of substance. Of reading, instinct, position. And a certain idea of sacrifice.
