The Under 13 team of Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza climbs to the second step of the podium at the O.13 Città di Treviso trophy, a national Under 13 tournament, now in its sixth edition, in which 24 teams participated, 8 of which, including that of the very young red and white teams , who became regional category champions. In the final, Piacenza was overcome by the hosts Treviso 2-0 (25-23, 25-19), with the red and white baby Dimitrije Janicijevic being awarded MVP of the event. A final that saw the only two teams that reached the final act face each other without leaving any sets to their opponents: in two days the U13 of Gas Sales had played and won six matches, all with the maximum margin: overcoming Gonzaga 2- 0 (25-16, 25-11), Padova 2-0 (25-21, 25-13), Scarperia 2-0 (25-17, 25-23) and Arco Riva 2-0 (25-16, 26 -24), obtaining the right to access the quarter-finals. It then overcame Trento 2-0 (25-19, 25-23) and immediately afterwards in the semifinals against Fenice Roma 2-0 (25-21, 30-28), acquiring the right to play in the final, which they lost despite playing for long stretches on par with their opponents. The Piacenza squad that participated in the Treviso trophy: Jesse Chidiebere, Francesco Maria Bifulco, Giovanni Braghieri, Raffaele Guglielmetti, Enea Rossini, Antonio De Francesco, Nicolò De Francesco, Giorgio Cattivalli, Dimitrije Janicijevic, Ettore Fei, Lorenzo Bruno, Tommaso Losi , Diego Verdetti, Sergio Ferrari, Giulio Corvino. Coaches Renato Barbon and Nicola Barbon, companion Enrico Braghieri, team manager Alessandro Fei.
Important news for the youth sector of Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza is the definition of the new technical director of the red and white academy. Nicola Domenico Agricola has been called to supervise the activity for the next season. For the expert coach from Abruzzo, born in Filetto in the province of Chieti in 1957, it is a return to Piacenza: from the 2008-09 season until 2013 he was responsible for the youth sector and the project for the middle and elementary schools of the then Copra who played in A1. The choice of Agricola confirms Piacenza’s desire to continue to focus heavily on the youth sector which has grown in recent years from every point of view, bringing, among other things, Manuel Zlatanov to the first team. Agricola is a well-known name in the world of Italian youth volleyball: after taking his first steps close to home between Chieti, Pescara and Fano, also leading Chieti’s A1 team for three years, he began to tour Italy collecting important results in Lamezia (promotion to A2), Gioia del Colle and Vibo Valentia (A2 Serie Italian Cup) and constantly taking care of both the first team and youth activities. There are many players he discovered or trained and developed: from Galassi to Polo to Cavuto, Nelli and Giannelli in his experience in Trento, Magalini and Zanotti when he was in Verona, Piano and Massari in his first stay in Piacenza.
