Following Niccolò Cappelletti, the other Perugian player from ErmGroup Altotevere has also decided to retire from competitive play: libero Filippo Pochini, 37 next November, is closing a long career that began with Rpa Luigi Bacchi Perugia and continued in the top division with Sir, then Taranto and Siena, then the A2 leagues (again, Siena), Livorno, Mondovì, and Reggio Emilia. His two-year stint with Altotevere in the Serie A3 Credem Banca championship concluded, proving himself to be one of the best catchers in the category. In the white and blue, the “Pok” played a total of 50 games and received 788 balls, with a perfection rate of 36.4%. Now, it’s time for his farewell. “A high-level commitment had become incompatible with my day job,” says Pochini, “so I made the drastic decision and from now on I will be responsible for the sports facilities I manage in Mantignana di Corciano: I have a beach volleyball school and a padel court.” His expression shows a hint of disappointment, but no regret: “I’m leaving with peace of mind,” he emphasizes, “and I owe volleyball a heartfelt thank you for the twenty years I spent advancing from Serie B2 to the SuperLega. I finished with two superlative seasons at ErmGroup Altotevere; the only shame is that we narrowly missed out on those two playoff finals, but I repeat: I’m leaving with a smile.” And he has fond memories of San Giustino: “I felt great from the first moment, in the locker room, with the management, and with the entire environment. I was welcomed in the best possible way, and this club always made me feel like a valued player: I’ll never forget that. In matches and in training, I tried to put my experience at the service of the team and my colleagues in the department, first Cioffi and then Chiella, to ensure they could grow.”
