Rob Cappuccio, a soccer coach for the Spencerport Soccer Club and WNY Flash team dreamed of brining a team of local youth to Italy to experience the sport from a unique vantage point with an Italian cultural perspective. When the thought first came to him it did not seem like it was something that would become a reality.
“Logistically creating a team, raising the funds and overcoming the obstacles for an international trip seemed like a long shot,” said Cappuccio. “Thanks to the parents, players, community, and especially to the generosity of the Italian American Community Center, the dream became a reality,” he said.
Putting together the team, organizing this trip, obtaining the financing, and preparing the team athletically took nearly 18 months. Coach Cappuccio first presented the idea to his players and their families as an opportunity to go to Italy to play in a tournament. The team was comprised mostly of 13- and 14-year-old boys from the Spencerport area. “A lot of practice and hard work pulled together everything that was necessary to make this dream come true,” said Coach Cappuccio.
An event logo was created specifically for this trip. The Spencerport Soccer Club logo is in the middle, above is the City of Florence’s crest which is a stylized lily, below is the City of Rome’s crest which is a wolf. This logo was used for all marketing and fundraising for the trip. It was also on their custom uniforms, warm up bags, and kits, and even on banners they presented to their opposing teams.
On March 29, the team of sixteen players and families met in Toronto to fly to Paris. “By the time we landed in Florence, Italy, the boys were a mixture of tired and excited,” the coach said.
The team began their first day in Italy watching AC Milan with Christian Pulisic play Fiorentina. “It was amazing to see Christian Pulisic, who is the captain for the U.S. National Team, play for AC Milan in person. I think it gave my players a sense of possibility seeing a player from the U.S., playing in Italy,” said Coach Cappuccio.
Day two and three they spent celebrating Pasqua (Easter) in Florence and sightseeing the area. They began day four visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa and ended the day with their first game.
“When we arrived at the stadium, they found themselves in awe and taken back by the stadium and impressed by the immensity of it. It gives you a different respect for youth soccer,” Cappuccio said. The boys played against the renowned team F.C. Scandicci 1908. It was a tough game, but an amazing experience.
On the fifth day, the team went to Coverciano, which is the Italian National Team headquarters. On the campus, there are training fields, stadiums, classrooms as well as the Hall of Fame. While there, the boys were coached for almost three hours by an Italian National Pro coach.
The team’s sixth day in Italy began in Rome and a tour to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. Later that day, they played their second game against RES Roma. On their seventh day, there was unforgettable sightseeing with a trip to the Colosseum in the morning and an afternoon tour of Stadio Olimpico, Rome’s iconic stadium.
On their last full day in Italy, the team toured Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps in the morning. Then they played their final match against ASD Pian Due Torri 1965. “This game was the experience to cap the trip!” said Cappuccio. The match was played on a dirt field which was a first-time experience for this group of boys from the Spencerport area.
“This trip was an incredible memory maker for the kids. They learned the lesson of hard work and perseverance. They experienced the love of soccer from the perspective of a different culture. We created something that will shape the rest of their lives,” Coach Cappuccio said.
Provided photos
