The first objective is to arrive prepared for Italian championships at the beginning of August in Rome. The long-term objective is to continue to grow a united team in Legnano, eager to do well and obtain increasingly better results. high level. The subject is the Legnano Swimming Teama company reborn from the ashes of Amga Sport after it went into liquidation, with 180 athletes competing in different categories.
“The morning closing in July is penalizing”
«We received notification that in the month of July, until closing on July 21st, the pool will be inaccessible in the morning – explains The Technical directoras well as manager of the Legnano Nuoto Team, Gianni Leoni -. A big loss for the kids who won’t be able to prepare with the double training session. We know that other clubs in the area have asked to train in Legnano, but their request would not have been taken into consideration. However, it could not be an opportunity for have a summer activity that brings remuneration to the Municipality and keep the plant open?”.
“The new swimming pool is too commercial”
Meanwhile, work is about to start on the new swimming facility in via Gorizia with the Public Private Partnership formula, and Leoni returns to ask for greater attention to competitiveness in the swimming pool: «We had asked to be involved and listened to in the new project – explains Leoni -. Our requests were not taken into consideration and we will find ourselves with a commercial system that does not look at the needs of sports clubs; a small pool with a high cost. With more dialogue, a solution suitable for everyone could have been found. Just think of the 50 meter swimming pool will lose four lanes because they are dedicated to recreational activities.”
But the project has now been approved and despite the non-optimal conditions the team is determined to remain in Legnano, even if certainties are needed: «We don’t even know what agreement there will be with the new manager to protect sports clubs. The risk is that companies close down or look elsewhere. We, however, want to move forward in Legnano to continue what we have worked so hard to build with our colleagues: we believe in it and we don’t want to go elsewhere. We coaches we halved our salary just to keep the company afloatprecisely because we believe in the project. Ours is not just a competitive activity: playing sports with young people also means working in the social and this must be taken into consideration; we ask for more listening. All this is not understood.”
A season of excellent results
Despite the difficulties, the Legnano Nuoto Team ended the year with a positive balance sheet: «Once “abandoned” the athletes professionals, for problems related to the system, we started working intensely again with young people, and the kids are growing – explains Leoni -. We brought home 32 medals at the Regional Championships and 5 medals at the National Championships, including one in relay. The results of this start of the season are the fruit of the work of the previous two years. A good group and a good team have been formed and this for me is the greatest success.”
The future
What future do you see for the Legnano Nuoto Team in the next 3 years?«If they let us work, I see a company capable of achieving ever better results; a bigger club with champions capable of doing well. If they don’t let us work we will remain as we are with prospects that could become darker”
