In the summer of 2018, a very young Simone Rinaldi found himself at a crossroads, having to choose between the two sports he had previously practiced side by side. He chose volleyball, and today, a setter born in 2007 and ready to step up to the first team, he proudly stands by that decision.
It all began with the Pallavolo Padova Volley Camp, which changed his perspective. “In 2018, I attended the summer camp and immediately fell in love with this environment. Joining this club allowed me to experience a world I wasn’t used to.”
What made that choice special was the fact that it came at a crossroads. Before arriving in Padua, I played both basketball and volleyball. That summer, I received two offers, one from Virtus Basket and one from Pallavolo Padova. I chose volleyball because I thought the environment was more suited to my character. To this day, I’m convinced I couldn’t have made a better choice. I arrived in Padua in the Under-13s, completing my entire youth career here.”
From that moment, Padua became my home, and Simone progressed through every stage of the youth system until he earned his first real taste of the big step. “Last season, I had the opportunity to train several times with the first team, allowing me to see firsthand the level. I immediately felt at ease, both with the staff and with my teammates, who did everything they could to make me feel at ease.”
