I followed the races on TV World Cup in Athletics in Berlin, which ends today with "zero tituli" for Italy. I also read various articles and comments, and I was further convinced as to why the failure of the Italian team. I know not saying anything new or special way, and even want to belittle the sacrifice and the performance of some of our children, who perhaps could not have done more. But the fact is there, it is written, and there is little to do but take note that something is wrong. For some time, I think. So a lot of countries (32 I think) have been awarded medals, but not us, we have not. I think it's the first time this happens, but maybe that's good. So there are no more excuses and, as someone wrote, there is not even the fig leaf of a bronze medal that saved the expedition. It 'clear that athletics should be re-established in the sense that needs to be rebuilt (as they say) the "movement" roots. In other words shared by the school. I do not understand why the Olympic Committee not to intervene with force to the Government to bring back the sport in schools, obtaining funding and technical resources required. I'm an incurable optimist, I know, and keep dreaming. And in my dream I see that the first hours of physical education, from the junior high, are increased and are taught by specialist teachers, in appropriate facilities. And then I see that even if a child excels in sports is enhanced and assisted by teachers, despite shortcomings in certain areas, so as to make progress elsewhere in the school career. A little 'as it happens in the States, right? But the reality is quite different and I fear that my dream is difficult, given that the Ministers of Education have so far done little or nothing to promote grassroots sport, namely athletics, in schools: some have even had the original thought to abolish hours of physical education ...
I believe that this is the main reason for the current crisis. Not the only one, though. Other aspects also come into play, eg. the fact that in Italy is all about football (including money) and they remember certain sports (so-called minor sports) only for the Olympics, when they are useful to flesh out the small medals finished the game, who cares for running, boxing, gymnastics, shooting of the arc, the greek-roman fight and so on. Now, mind you, the athlete is a minor sport, anything! Indeed, it should be the queen of the sport , but unfortunately for many years now we're treating it as a Cinderella, at all levels, from the top down federal. We lack leaders able and skilled technicians, once the world envy (I think Calvesi and Vittori). Not only that, we do not serve the valuable collaboration of some great ex-athletes (see Mennea, Tilli, Panetta ...) and we fail miserably in the management of those few talents that we have (see the case of lunghista Howe). All this while
offers to our youth, even for our sins, a bleak landscape of tronista and tissues, which is incompatible with the spirit of sacrifice and passion necessary to devote to athletics. On the other hand, if it is true that as a hobby there is a steady growth of people running, play soccer, go mountain-biking, attending swimming pools, winter sports practice, etc.. and thus is sensitive to psychological and physical wellbeing and their health, it is equally true that we see around the athletes 'amateur'. In fact, the athletic sport is a basic, preliminary and preparatory to the discipline the boy who may later choose to practice, because more acceptable or appropriate to its characteristics. Only a few, a few inevitably decide to devote competitive athletics. But the point is just that. If the base of practitioners in school-age is always smaller, fewer and fewer competitive athletes will then rely on. It's true talents are born a few: as you know, here we can not breathe the air of Jamaica.
Wolf.
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