FIBS President Andrea Marcon, upon recommendation of the LIBCI (Italian Baseball League for the Blind and Visually Impaired), has appointed the technical staff for the National Baseball Giocato da Ciechi team. The Azzurri will be called upon to defend the inaugural 2022 Blind Baseball International Cup title won in the Netherlands.
Outgoing Team Italy BXC manager Fabio Azzaro, who led the Azzurri to the first European title last year and demonstrated a great commitment in spreading the discipline at an international level, has entrusted the squad in the expert hands of Marco Corazza (veteran coach of Roma AllBlinds, 2023 Coach of the Year and longtime Azzurri coach). Not only has he carried out various technical internships in various parts of Italy with great competence on behalf of the AIBXC, but Marco Corazza is an excellent organizer and motivator of the team who is well-respected.
Marco Corazza will be supported by:
Ilaria di Giulio, Assistant and sighted player, former softball player who joined BXC for a few years as coach of Fiorentina. She helped to re-establish the team after a year's hiatus. Having served in the same capacity at the last European Championship in 2023, she has a strong presence in guiding the players on the defensive side;
Francesco Volo, Assistant and sighted player. Despite coming from other sports, he was able to quickly acquire the mechanisms of BXC and in a few years he was able to assert himself as a technician in Malnate, taking on various roles in the team and helping to bring what is now CISV Hurricane to high levels Varese. He is great motivator;
Lauro Lanzarini, Assistant: former player of Fortitudo Amaro Montenegro, with whom he won the first championship in 1969. He has been in BXC since the beginning, first as coach of Cvinta Ravenna and then with Fortitudo Bologna White Sox, with whom he won the last three championships. In addition to great technical knowledge, his best quality is certainly his calm and ability to interact with everyone with great humanity. He was awarded 2022 Coach of the Year;
Emilia Ammirato, Assistant, who has only been in BXC for two years after a past as a softball player and coach. He founded the Baseball Giocato da Ciechi team of Unime Messina and has been appreciated for his technical and organizational ability acquired also as coach of various regional and national softball teams.
The program of work in view of the autumn commitment includes the choice and convocation of an extended group of players, selected among the LIBCI participants in the first week of July, After a collegiate meeting from August 30-September 1, 2024, the squad will depart for the 2024 Blind Baseball International Cup in late September.
by Marco Landi and Roberto Angotti
(Photo of Team Italy BXC manager Marco Corazza)
