TODAY, IN VARESE, THE 6TH CONFERENCE, \u201cMAPEI SPORT: 20 YEARS OF RESEARCH, SUPPORT AND CULTURE FOR SPORT\u201d, WAS HELD
\n21 May 2016 \u2013 Today, in the Varese Conference Centre Ville Ponti, Villa Napoleonica held the 6th
\nMapei Sport conference, called \u201cMapei Sport: 20 years of research, support and culture for sport\u201d, a prestigious
\nand important event for the world of sport-based scientific research.
\nThe morning began with a welcome speech from Claudio Pecci, Mapei Sport’s Managing Director and Medical Director, Gaela Bernini representative of Confindustria’s Mai Foundation and Maria Ida Piazza, Varese’s Councillor for Sport.
\nTwenty years of MAPEI SPORT attest to the lasting and ever-growing attention that the Centre pays to the world of university research. During the conference, the results of the \u201cAldo Sassi\u201d research project of the previous year were presented and the 5th \u201cAldo Sassi\u201d research grant for graduates in Sport Science was awarded.
\nGiorgio Squinzi, CEO of the Mapei Group, and Adriana Spazzoli, the Mapei Group’s Director of Marketing and External Relations, introduced the discussion topics, reminding us of how the Mapei Centre was founded as well as the values it is based on. Mapei Sport Centre researchers and industry professionals described their results and studies, with key contributions regarding the effect of \u201cDelayed potentiation\u201d in various sports. Those present were able to attend a lecture given by Nicola Maffiuletti on the acute effects of physical exercise: fatigue vs \u201cpotentiation\u201d. Throughout the day, many important topics regarding different sports were discussed, with sessions that were based particularly on: alpine skiing, with a focus, for example, on the physiological differences between the skiers in the World Cup and the European Cup; on cycling, with important observations made on optimising Mountain Bike training; on basketball, with an analysis of training and strength variables; and, finally, on football, which focused on the methodological aspects of the perception of exertion and Brain Endurance Training as a new strategy for limiting mental fatigue and improving performance.
\nThe conference concluded with a large Round Table with illustrious guests. Sky Sport’s Paolo Ghisoni, former promoter of “Young Italy”, the youth football development project, engaged the guests in a discussion about establishing young elite athletes. Not only were there people like Giorgio Squinzi, Luca Guercilena, Roberto Sassi, Andrea Menozzi and Eusebio di Francesco taking part in the discussion, but also athletes such as Francesco Acerbi, Fabian Cancellara and representatives of the Italian National Alpine Ski Team such as Massimo Carca and Matteo Marsaglia, who gave their important contribution to the discussion.<\/p>\n
(left Fabian Cancellara, Luca Guercilena, Eusebio Di Francesco, Francesco Acerbi and Giorgio Squinzi)
\nDr Squinzi maintains that in order to achieve maximum levels, you must start young: \u201cFabian Cancellara and Berardi are our examples: to get to the top, athletes have to perfect their traits from a very young age, while remembering their responsibilities and not losing their focus on both sporting and life objectives to
\nbecome real champions.\u201d
\nFabian Cancellara, professional cyclist, then shared his belief that a good foundation is not enough for a young person to establish themselves: \u201cHaving a solid foundation from a young age isn’t enough, you need to find the right facilities that help you develop. I have to thank Mapei for giving me what I needed at the start of my career in order to
\nimprove.\u201d<\/p>\n
(Luca Guercilena, General Manager of cycling team Trek-Segafredo, Fabian Cancellara, athlete for cycling team Trek-Segafredo and Eusebio Di Francesco, trainer for Sassuolo Calcio)
\nThe General Manager of cycling team Trek-Segafredo, Luca Guercilena, said : \u201cMy experience is a bit different, I was lucky enough to work for 10 years at Mapei, before becoming Team Manager. It’s difficult managing athletes and coaches. For me, the main thing is to create men before creating racers. We need to invest greatly in the youth sector, not by pressuring young athletes but by giving them tools for the future\u201d
\nThe Sassuolo coach, Eusebio Di Francesco, spoke about the world of football, who gave his opinion on the matter : \u201c At times, the press doesn’t help young people to develop because it puts too much pressure on them. We must wait for young people and accompany them in their development. The most important thing is to teach them how to achieve results. A coach needs the ability to recognise talented athletes and accompany them on their path to growth: My task is also to take away some of the burdens that young athletes like Berardi feel the pressure of.\u201d<\/p>\n
(Eusebio Di Francesco, trainer for Sassuolo Calcio)
\nThen, Roberto Sassi, Juventus’ Head of Training Check and Sport Science, spoke about his experience: \u201cJuventus has great faith in young people. We look ahead and help them grow. There is a lot of financial investment, even though it’s not always possible to let them play. As di Francesco said, unfortunately this is a system in which young people are not at an advantage.”
\n(left Giorgio Squnzi, Mapei CEO and Roberto Sassi, Juventus’ Head of Training Check and Sport Science)
\nMassimo Carca, Head Coach for the Italian National Alpine Ski Team, then expressed his belief in Italian talent, like his athlete Matteo Marsaglia, who focused on the importance of family in the development of young people: \u201cFamily is so important for an athlete’s training. The desire comes from the kids, but the support of the parents is crucial.\u201d
\nDifferent sports but the same dynamics. Andrea Menozzi, Head of the Reggiana youth sector, spoke about the world of basketball : \u201cIn some ways, the world of basketball is similar to that of football. It takes courage to get young people to play. The problem is putting a young athlete in an environment in which physical structure is fundamental. As well as courage, you need patience, because it’s a real hurdle for kids to live up to expectations and you need to be patient and supportive in this regard.
\n(Massimo Carca, coach for the National Alpine Ski Team, Andrea Menozzi, Head of the Reggiana basketball youth sector and Matteo Marsaglia, Italian National Alpine Ski Team athlete)
\nThe discussion ended with Francesco Acerbi, a Sassuolo Calcio football player: \u201cIt’s important for young athletes on their own path to find the facilities and staff that help them get through the difficult times. We at Sassuolo are very lucky because we have the Mapei Centre, which helps us a lot. They are important parts of growing up and staying well all year round. Sassuolo has many talented and valuable Italian young athletes, which is why we are seen as a model team.
\nMapei, multinational group and leader in the chemical products for construction industry, has always dedicated significant resources and particular attention to research and development, also through its collaboration with the Scientific Community. In 1996, the Company founded the Mapei Sport Research Centre in Olgiate Olona (Varese) with the objective of promoting research in the medical and sporting field with a particular focus on exercise physiology. In remembrance of the Centre’s former Director and prematurely deceased Professor Aldo Sassi and his scientific work and in wanting to finance new research projects in “Sport Science”, Mapei has organised an \u201cAldo Sassi\u201d research grant for the institute, now on its fifth edition, which will be annually awarded to a young graduate in Sport Science. The \u20ac10,000 research grant is provided through a public call announced via the communication channels agreed between the Mapei Sport Research Centre and the Giuseppina Mai Foundation.
\nThis work is carried out in close collaboration with Confindustria and backed by companies that are particularly active in the promotion of research and innovation. The MAI Foundation promotes scientific research in medicine, health and quality of life, encouraging collaboration between universities, public research bodies and the
\nworld of business. The collaboration between Mapei and the MAI Foundation has the aim of incentivising young people to undertake research projects in the field of Sport Science. With a tangible and ongoing initiative, Mapei Spa and the Mapei Sport Research Centre continue this effort in commemoration of Professor Aldo Sassi, a man who was respected and loved by all athletes and everyone who met him throughout his long career as researcher and sportsman.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TODAY, IN VARESE, THE 6TH CONFERENCE, \u201cMAPEI SPORT: 20 YEARS OF RESEARCH, SUPPORT AND CULTURE FOR SPORT\u201d, WAS HELD 21 May 2016 \u2013 Today, in the Varese Conference Centre Ville Ponti, Villa Napoleonica held the 6th Mapei Sport conference, called \u201cMapei Sport: 20 years of research, support and culture for sport\u201d, a prestigious and important […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[763,764,852,154],"tags":[252,189,248,254,199,258,259,261,250,206,188],"class_list":["post-3002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ciclismo-en","category-eventi-en","category-pallacanestro-en","category-uncategorized","tag-cancellara-en","tag-convegno-mapei-sport-en","tag-fisi-en","tag-guercilena-en","tag-mapei-sport-en","tag-pallacanestro-en","tag-pallacanestro-reggiana-en","tag-roberto-sassi-en","tag-sci-alpino-en","tag-squinzi-en","tag-trek-segafredo-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n