From Learner to Leader

Setter is a tough position. Incredibly demanding technically, low margin for error, & if things go wrong they are usually the first person to take the blame. That’s why setters usually age like wine and many don’t hit their prime skill wise until their late 20s or even 30s. There are setters like William Arjona of Brazil & Daniele Sotteile of Italy playing in the world’s best leagues over the age of 40. That’s what makes 25-year-old Italian setter Simone Giannelli such a rare breed. Most setters his age are just starting to see playtime on their national teams, after spending years on the bench gaining enough game knowledge and precision to play in tournaments like EuroVolley. Giannelli is already transitioning into the second stage of his career as the veteran leader of the Azzuri.

10 of Italy’s players are age 22 or younger. Born in 1996, Giannelli is the elder statesman of the team.  While he has taken the role in stride, it is still a skill that you need to build upon, especially in matches like todays against Montenegro, where the frustration on the court was easy to see from the sidelines.

While this EuroVolley is the focus right now, and even with this new-look squad Italy is still a medal contender, the long-term goals for Giannelli & coach Ferdinando Di Giorgi involve lots of gold medals. Getting a championships trophy collection team out of a group of some of the most highly touted prospects in volleyball might seem predestined, but plenty of talented groups of youngsters have failed to realize their potential. Simone shared the key message that he has passed onto the team on how to stay on the right track:

With Giannelli setting the standard, there is high hopes for this group of Italian players. Every point is a learning opportunity, a chance to make the incremental improvements that pile up over the years. And given that Giannelli is only 25, we might have another 15 years of this to look forward to.