The 2023 – 2024 season has just ended and the future has already begun. To lay solid foundations, Tinet Prata, as usual, has already moved and the first stone on which to build the new building is obviously that of the coach. In this sense, the choice of Sports Director Luciano Sturam and General Director Dario Sanna was for a coach with extensive experience, who will be able to make an important contribution to the future of Volley Prata.
The new coach is Mario Di Pietro, a sixty-three-year-old from Padua who started at a high level in his hometown, acting as second to an institution of Italian volleyball like Professor Silvano Prandi. His experiences in pink volleyball were also fortunate. With Foppapedretti Bergamo in a two-year period he won two championships, two Italian Cups and a Champion’s League. Shortly thereafter, his partnership began with the coach of the European and World champion national team Ferdinando De Giorgi, with whom he coached for two years in Cuneo in the Super League. Then the return to the Veneto region with high-level youth sectors and the Serie A in Montecchio, a tough team against which Tinet has always struggled.
His qualities have always been highly appreciated, so much so that he joined the senior national team’s staff as an assistant. This summer he will instead take on the role of coach of the U22 national team.
“I have great enthusiasm – comments the Paduan coach in his first official interview with the gialloblù – and I must say that convincing myself to embark on this new adventure was easy. The reality of Prata is very important and I have met it many times on the field in recent seasons. I have always appreciated the gradual but constant growth of this club and one of my goals was to get to coach here. Fortunately I succeeded and for this I have to thank the club for giving me their trust and the job.”
What are the pillars of your training system?
“I like working a lot and especially with young people, but not only. I believe everyone can always improve. The secret is to train while having fun, but with a strong motivation to continually improve your game. I don’t forget that Prata plays in A2 and that there are already trained and high-level players. However, I am convinced that by pushing hard in training we will be able to create a great team and a great championship.”
