by Antonello Riva.

It’s been 4 years that I got away from the active side ofbasketball. Obviously I’m still following it, thanks to all my friends that are still working in it.

It’s granted, for me, have interconnections with the environment, but today I would never accept in any way, any kind of commitments with the environment. This is especially because I’m trying to pursue a project, a work related to wellness that is giving me a lot of satisfactions and first of all it gives me the freedom to manage my time as I prefer to.

I would like to give my opinion on the Italian basketball movement, that sadly, it’s falling down.
In my opinion, the first issue it’s that we are constantly saying that we have not young prospect anymore, to enter into the League A teams. I disagree, because we have a lot of interesting guys, we just lose them throughout the way, besides this, what are we doing to solve this problem? Basically nothing.

The first easy thing to do would be to engage ex professional players, in certain cases great champions, that could promote basketball in primary schools. An easy investment with great results. It’s already happened that in one year there was more applications for dance than FIP basketball (nobody knows why?).

Who is seriously investing in their youth teams? Try to make an investigation, and look for how many kids are working with strength coach or basketball coach paid from the teams, during the month of June!

Then young guys start to face tough steps, like once their youth championships are over, they would like to play into pro championships. I agree that before was easier enter into a League A team, but now, steal a spot to a foreign player, is basically impossible, unless you are a freak talent. (Even in the 4th Italian league you are allowed to play with foreign players).

We are looking for solutions, modifying structures and names of our national championships, by creating only confusion, primarily to the people on the stands :(How the second League is called? And what about the third?).

I wrote down into a paper some thoughts that came to my mindthinking about basketball, it seems as a outlet, but the premise let y’all understand how disappointed I am, watching the Italian basketball losing interest day by day. It’s true that it’s always easier criticize than propose, but I’m sure that what needs to be done to solve a small part of the problem would be easier and more productive than what we being done.

Antonello Riva
Former athete.
With the clubs, winner of the Champions Cup in Cantù (1981/1982 and 1982/1983), the Scudetto in Cantù (1980/1981), the Intercontinental Cup in Cantù (1982), the Cup of Cups in Cantù (1977/1978, 1978/1979, 1980/1981) and the Korac Cup in Milan (1992/1993).
With Italy, winner of the Gold Medal at the European Championships of France (1983) and of the Silver medal at the European Championships of Italy (1991).