MESSINA – Another prestigious entry into the roster of Akademia Messina which has signed Giorgia Caforio who in the last two seasons has worn the shirt of Consolini Volley of San Giovanni in Marignano.
To highlight the high depth of the profile hired, the numbers that Caforio recorded in reception in the last tournament; in 23 appearances and 82 sets played, for her the best weighted receiving average in the entire category with a score of 6.07, 220 perfect shots for a percentage of 48.41%. Pleasantly called “Caffy” – ask her friends and former teammates at San Giovanni, Chiara Salvatori and Clarissa Covino why – Giorgia Caforio learned from the official website of the Women’s Volleyball League that she was the best libero of the entire last A2 series .
THE CARREER-
Born in 1994, 168 cm, born in Brindisi but raised in Latiano, Giorgia came into contact with volleyball played through her city’s team, Volley Latiano. In 2010/2011, in addition to the youth championships, she made her debut in Serie C in Ostuni; she is just sixteen years old. The first emotions felt with a first team but Giorgia’s sporting satisfactions are only just beginning. The following year she found herself in Serie D in Brindisi, a small interlude useful for her further growth and to bring out her talent. At seventeen (2012/2013) Volley San Vito called her to A2, wearing the shirt of the Apulian team on 28 occasions with 90 sets played.
In 2013/14 he moved to B2 in Mesagne, and then moved – the following year – to Volley Taranto, always in the same category. In the summer of 2015, Volley Soverato dragged her away from home for the first time, an A2 club where she stayed for two full seasons (37 appearances, 88 sets played) plus the first part of 2017/18 in which she completed the year with Cuneo Granda Volley, always in the second series (37 appearances and 142 sets). With the Piedmontese shirt, Giorgia ended the Regular Season in second place; to block the road to promotion to A1, Chieri ’76 Volleyball takes care of it in the Play-Off Semifinal.
The “regional derby” leaves its mark, but for the Apulian athlete it is time to take a further step forward. It will be Chieri himself who will recognize her due merits and give her the long-awaited opportunity. Finally, the moment of her debut in the top flight: it is October 28, 2018 and at the “Mandela Forum” in Florence, Giorgia realizes her dream in the first match of the tournament against Il Bisonte. At the end of the season, he made 12 appearances, 31 sets played.
In 2019/20 the arrival in Sardinia at Volleyball Hermaea Olbia. The club, after relegation, was brought back to A2, also starting from Giorgia (21 appearances and 79 sets). This time, the final ranking is in favor of the big island club which finishes with a tenth place in the Promotion Pool. The positive year is also worth confirmation for the strong libero who will stay in Olbia for another two years (46 appearances, 150 sets), before looking for new stimuli elsewhere.
The opportunity comes from Romagna; Consolini Volley signed her. Two seasons with the San Giovanni in Marignano club; in the first, a Play-Off Semifinal lost against Brescia, in the last too many injuries afflicted the team to hope to be able to go beyond an excellent placement in the Promotion Pool (53 appearances, 192 sets).
The words of Giorgia Caforio-
« I’m a perfectionist and there are still goals I want to achieve; I hope I can do it together in Messina. The passion for volleyball led me to overcome many difficulties; he always pushed me to work, go beyond my limits, while having fun at the same time. Looking back, I can say, in part, that I am proud of what I was able to do «.
“Caffy” she is one of those athletes who still believes in the old methods and does not stop dribbling against the wall, as she did at just five years old, even now as a professional player:
« My mom no longer has patience because I keep dirtying the walls with the ball. It’s an exercise that has always amused me. Then, for the role, they taught me that the wall will always be a life companion. Perhaps the wall has lost patience but I haven’t; I’m stubborn. I have experienced a lot over the years, met many coaches and ways of coaching. I believe that – if you are alone or do not have the opportunity to work – it is a good exercise to improve contact with the ball, leg thrust and arm position. For me, it is still a valid exercise; then it always depends on how you do every single thing ».
Soverato’s experience coincided with his first time away from home, while in the choice of Cuneo perhaps also the desire to raise the bar and the need to start managing a certain emerging enthusiasm:
« Two different experiences. Soverato represented a beautiful gateway to the world of professionalism. Cuneo plus a rematch; wonderful memories of a challenging season, short but which I carry in my heart. Both experiences within me. After two seasons and part of the third I had the opportunity to leave Calabria for Piedmont. In Soverato things weren’t going as they should and I decided to take another path. In Cuneo I found myself in a reality, at that moment, very ambitious, completely different but one hundred percent professional and with a great team. At the beginning there was the fear of moving away a littleor suddenly, but ambition and passion made me make this choice. In Cuneo I worked very well and was equally well received. I hope I left a good memory ».
From Cuneo to Chieri, the team capable of pushing Giorgia and her teammates on their way to the top flight:
« Cuneo was the gateway to reach Chieri the following year. Luca Secchi, the coach who chose me in Soverato the first year, wanted me badly. I was super happy with this new reality in my debut year in A1. Even there, I experienced the warmth of the fans and the whole environment. I’m never satisfied. However, I recognize that sometimes we need to stop. And I did it; I stopped, looked back, patted myself on the back, not so much to say that I had done it, but to realize that I had reached a good point with hard work and my legs, strength and my family. Sometimes, I recognized it and this also helps me move forward. Feeling satisfied, in part, helps your career. But that doesn’t mean I’m completely satisfied ».
As with Maria Chiara Norgini, points also appear in Giorgia’s statistics:
« I like to put the opponent in difficulty when, for example, a third touch needs to be sent to the other side. I scored one of the best points in the year in Cuneo against Chieri in the semi-final, a match that was as beautiful as it was difficult. A second touch from the opposing setter was bypassing me; Not being able to do anything else I tried to attack the falling ball and put it in the corner. Let’s say that in Chieri they reminded me of it for a whileor of time ».
Then, Giorgia landed in Sardinia, in Olbia, where she remained for three seasons:
« I wanted to get back into the game as a protagonist. The three years in Sardinia were completely different from each other and full of satisfaction. I found people to work with very well and an environment that made me feel important. We concluded the first year with access to the Promotion Pool but then Covid arrived. In any case, they were useful years to stop and feel good about myself ».
Last two seasons in San Giovanni in Marignano with the Consolini Volley jersey; with her, the first year, also a new partner of hers, the central Maria Adelaide Babatunde:
« The first year was a good season; difficult, from some points of view, because they are a new team with ambitions in an equally ambitious club. We reached the Play-Off Semifinals and almost didn’t reach the Final. Truly a beautiful season, with the disappointment of the injury of our captain, Giulia Saguatti, who I had to replace in responsibility; I hope I did it well. The second year was a little more difficult because we started the championship straight away with two big injuries that affected the season. Others were added later, including mine, and we always found ourselves chasing. Despite this, the team has always responded well, united, doing the best possible. At a certain point, the issues came home to roost and the most deserving teams moved forward ».
His life partner plays football and this year he won Serie B with the Cesena shirt; let’s talk about striker Roberto Ogunseye:
« We share a passion for sport. As I always say, his successes are partly mine too; when things go well, I’m happy for him and vice versa. Our sporting choices have always been quite relationship-free. Each of us must make our own career and, in my opinion, this is our strength »
Now, in his career, the choice to go back to the South, to Sicily:
« A land that I partially know, more as an opponent during away games. I imagine a very warm environment with welcoming people. I know the South very well and I am happy to be able to discover everything else. I believe that ambition and the desire to return to the South played a role in my choice. There is ambition on my part and that of the environment; then, let’s put on the sun and stay close to home; I’d say a nice package. It will be a challenging season, a difficult championship, however, with hard work and the support of the city and the fans, we will be able to gain great satisfaction ».
We will find an A2 series closer to the A1 than in other years. There are several teams that will be able to be in the front row:
« Beyond Messina, Macerata and Trento. San Giovanni and Busto should not be underestimated. I hope for a positive season. It will certainly be exciting and, for this reason, the arena will have to fill up as much as possible. In a season like the one that awaits us, we absolutely need the fans and the city. I know very well how sport is experienced in the South and together we can achieve great goals ».
