www.eurovolleyroma2005.it / Parola agli azzurri di ieri e di oggi

Yesterday and today's Champions

During the way that leads to the start’s whistle of next European Volleyball Championships, you’ll go with a series of interviews of yesterday and today’s “Azzurri”. Triumphant memories and new emotions in comparison to get close to the prestigious event through a more and more Italian path.

menù

Andrea Zorzi

Valerio Vermiglio

The second stage of our trip leads us to meet Valerio Vermiglio. He was born in Messina in the 1st of March 1976. He’s the director of Italian National team, the setter. After Andrea Giani’s defection, Vermiglio has been vested by head coach Gian Paolo Montali with the role of team’s captain. He’s a real leader of Italvolley. In Italian Championship he plays in Sisley Treviso. He boasts of 172 participations in the National team. With Italian shirt he won the silver medal in the Olympic Games of Athens 2004, the World League in 1999 and the European Championships in 2003.

Valerio Vermiglio are you the captain of this new Italy?
Yes, I’m the captain for what this band under the shirt number represents but we have to remember that in this team other than me there are many important people that are fundamental such as Alessandro Fei, Alberto Cisolla, Luigi Mastrangelo. Montali trusts in them to create a united group. A group that is young under the age’s aspect but moreover under the aspect of the play and experience. This new team has got champion but also boys that need to put on trial things they can do and their technical ability. They also need to make practise.

Has Vermiglio gather in a heavy heritage as well as the other players?
Yes, Vermiglio has gathered in a heavy heritage as well as all my teammates. I hope to carry on it and I’m making all my efforts to defend it. I hope to reach the same results that only Tofoli, Giani and the past national team have obtained.

Could you describe us the emotion you feel when you dress Italvolley’s shirt?
The emotion I feel is the warmth that rises on your face, is the shiver that caresses your skin. In that moments you feel as you’re shining. This’s a great sensation that only after, when you’re outside, you realize how much it’s special because when you’re on court it seems an emotion or a mental block. But when you’re outside you realize that you’re one of the best and you’re among the best players in the volley’s world. So this awareness transfers into those sensations that you surely have in the first periods when you wear this shirt, and you feel them when you acquire new responsibilities.

How does Vermiglio like when he’s outside the court?
I’m the opposite extreme of Vermiglio player: I’m a quiet person. I usually do only my business, I listen to music, I try to avoid being at the core of attention. I like reading books and even in my hobbies I find the peace and quiet, the chatter and fun in a nicer way than mine when I’m on court.

Vermiglio’s merits and imperfections?
I think that one of my merits that sometimes has been considered a defect, could be my extreme determination. Or my excessive attempt to be always careful and ready to defend my teammates and to take the decisions under the net. I never let go. This surely if well-used could be a big merit of mine. My South Italy’s pride is a merit inside the court but when I’m outside this attitude may let me appear as a thouchy boy. Other merits and imperfections of mine I prefer that would be judged by the other people. Then I know on what I have to work more. I’ve people next to me that love me, suggest me and help me. The only thing I hope and I want to be a merit of mine is to be useful and to help all those who have necessity and need.

Which is Valerio Vermiglio’s dream?
My dream is to keep on playing at this high level and winning as much as possible.

What do you want to do after the end of your career?
I’d like to do a lot of things, such as abiding in this context or working with my friends of Personal Time that are those who realized these bracelets together with us and that helped us in the website. They’re very good people and they do a beautiful and funny job. I’d like to convey my experience to Conferences, to the younger people during their camps and I’d like to do whatever could be funny or interesting. I haven’t a precise aim, I’ll do anything provided that people would give me the chance.