Rookies – Swim Academy Pagani among the top eight teams in Italy at the Rookies Water Polo Festival
In the wonderful setting of the FIN Federal Center in Ostia, from 12 to 15 September 2024, the long-awaited Rookies Water Polo Festival took place, former Under 12 category, which saw the best promises of Italian water polo on the field. Among the protagonists of this edition, the Swim Academy of the City of Pagani shone with a high-level performance, ranking among the top eight teams in the country.
The team, chaired by Dino Menduto and led by coaches Luigi Montella and Francesco di Somma, bravely faced the national finals. “The result achieved rewards the intense preparation work of the athletes who were able to show their value against their peers from all over the country, thanks to the athletes and their families,” declared a satisfied Menduto.
In the preliminary round, Swim Academy demonstrated great competitive strength, winning four victories out of five matches and placing second:
Swim Academy – Club Acquatico Pescara 9 – 3
RN Cagliari – Swim Academy 6 – 21
Swim Academy – SC Quinto 8 – 4
RN Florentia – Swim Academy 9 – 12
Swim Academy – Onda Blu Dalmine 7 – 11
The round of 16 saw the boys from Pagani triumph in a very hard-fought match against Rapallo Nuoto, taking home the victory by 8 to 7.
In the quarterfinals, despite an admirable performance, Swim Academy had to give way to the strong Roma Nuoto, with a final result of 7 to 5.
Even in the semifinal for 5th/8th place, the boys from Pagani showed tenacity, facing Onda Blu Dalmine again in a very balanced match that ended with a narrow defeat of 10 to 11. However, in the final for 7th/8th place, Swim Academy closed the tournament in style, winning against RN Bologna by 9 to 6.
The team
These are the young talents who have brought the colors of the Swim Academy of Pagani to the top:
Giordano Giuseppe
Smaldone Ettore
Savarese Alessio
D’Aniello Salvatore
Vaccaro Pasquale
De Angelis Leonardo
Trotta Daniele
Di Stefano Giuseppe
Longobardi Francesco
The stands of the Center Federale of Ostia were packed with parents, coaches, managers and water polo enthusiasts, who enthusiastically supported the young athletes. Making the event even more special was the presence of the Settebello technical commissioner, Sandro Campagna, who attended the competitions and participated in the awards ceremony.
The Esordienti Festival was not only a showcase for the young promises of water polo, but also an important opportunity for sports and personal growth for the kids.
The Swim Academy has proven to be one of the most promising realities on the national scene, and the future looks bright for these very young athletes.
President Dino Menduto and the entire technical staff can be proud of the path taken, which confirms the excellence of the preparation and the constant commitment to the growth of their athletes.
Salvatore Marrazzo
Swim Academy Press Office
