Months of hard effort to make the organizational machine work, the great desire to bring this important sporting event (and not only) to the area and the smile that appeared on his face at the end of last Sunday’s awards ceremony for a “bet” won in full. If the Under 19 men’s national finals landed in the Upper Tiber Valley, the credit certainly went to the Umbrian Regional Committee of Fipav, Pallavolo San Giustino and the local Coni Centre, but the key figure was one: Enrico Ligi, one of the managers of the biancazzurro youth sector. “I believe that we can speak of a more than positive balance – declared Ligi himself – and one that rewards the efforts we have made. The event worked in all respects: we had prepared a leaflet also for tourism purposes and in fact many took advantage of the opportunity to visit the most representative places of the three Municipalities involved. In short, we wanted these finals to have a promotional purpose not only for volleyball, but also for our district: I also remember that – between teams, observers, federal managers, fans and relatives of the athletes – we filled all the hotels from Pieve for a week Santo Stefano up to Montone”. The federal vice-president Adriano Bilato and the regional president Giuseppe Lomurno praised the volunteering component, considered fundamental to the success of the event. Was this the winning “team” in some respects? “Absolutely yes. When I gathered people to ask for their collaboration, no one said no; indeed, in the case of some of our youth representatives, both the children and their parents came forward to lend a hand. I thank them, just as I heartily thank the support companies of the valley: Città di Castello Pallavolo, Trestina Volley, New Volley Borgo Sansepolcro and Pallavolo San Giustino. And I extend my thanks to the municipal administrations of Città di Castello, Sansepolcro and San Giustino, not only for the systems made available”. The Ligi manager concludes with an eye that already sees in perspective: “We have witnessed matches of undoubted technical level and I am sure that, when we see many of this week’s athletes protagonists in the top flight again, we will realize even more what it meant to have brought here with us the best Under 19s from all over Italy”.
