English traslation of Francesca Piccinini video interview
Q) When and where were you born?
A) Well, I’m Francesca Piccinini (Have I to say it?) and I was born 10 January 1979, in Pietrasanta, a little town close to Lucca (Tuscany, Italy). After two days, I moved from the hospital to Massa (Tuscany), my home town.
Q) Would you describe your city?
A) It’s a quiet place, it is nice and cosy in there. The climate is good, no snow during the winter, it is close both to the sea and to the mountains. The people living there are friendly and welcoming, differently from the north of Italy, where people are more reserved.
Q) When did you start playing Volleyball?
A) I started playing Volleyball when I was 8 years old, watching on TV the Japanese cartoons like all my colleagues and since then I fell in love with Volleyball.
Q) Did you improve fast?
A) Yes, my career was for some aspects very fast. I started when I was 8, when I was 13 I was already playing in a B1 team (the third series), and when I was 14 I played my first Serie A Championship (the Serie A is the Italian top level championship). So… yes, everything happened quite fast.
Q) Any other members of your family were sportsmen?
A) No, my mother played Volleyball at school just for fun. My father used to play soccer but, due to a small injury, he had has to stop.
Q) When did you leave your home?
A) Very early. First I went to Reggio Emilia (one year), then to Modena, Rubiera, from Rubiera to the other side of the world in Brazil. Then, from Brazil I moved to Bergamo, where I have been playing for 10 years.
Q) Bergamo has become your home so far.
A) Yes… after so many years, I think soon I’ll be elected as mayor of the city!! This year I signed for a three years contract, usually my collaborations until now were annual. I’m very happy about it, Bergamo is a second home to me. All the people in the staff have always been so nice to me, they helped me to grow up as a professional and to improve my skills. Here I got so many gratifications and now I want to pay all the staff back for what they gave to me in all these years. That is why I decided to stay for the next three years.
Q) You shot a calendar and wrote a book. Would you do it again?
A) Before doing something I think very carefully. About the calendar, today I’m happy for what I did. I think that there is the right time for everything. I like to confront myself with different things and to make new experiences. Usually, when I decide to do something I don’t look back regretting. At that time I wanted to shoot a calendar and I did.
Q)...but you seem looking also for normality.
A) Yes, I have always tried to live “as common as possible”, although it is not so easy as a popular person. Despite I am a well-known Volleyball player, I am a common person. I’m not a snobbish, I’m just the opposite. I like to meet people and talk to them as I do with my friends.
Q) Are there two Piccinini?
A) I think it is inevitable when your job makes you popular… In fact, when I’m with those I love, I’m an open person, the real Francesca: they truly know me. With the rest of the people I am friendly and welcoming, as I said before, although I must admit I cannot completely show them the way I am and I tend to hide myself a little bit.
Q) Have you ever had to face any conflict between your public and private life?
A) No, not really. Of course when I am with my close friends it comes out natural to show my inner emotions and feelings. In public I tend to hide all this, though sometimes I’m absolutely not good at it!
Q) That’s why your book title is “La Melagrana” (The pomegranate)
A) Yes. I can be compared to a pomegranate. Under the surface there are many things to discover, which are not openly displayed. I’m a complex person and me you need time before you really know me, as I am shy and reserved. Wow, it is difficult to explain…
Q) Have you many friends in Volleyball?
A) No, I haven’t. Only one friend, maybe. She is Paola Paggi, we played in the same team for many years. You know, it is very difficult to maintain relations in this world. You can be friends during the year when you play in the same team, but after you lose touch with each other. I have very few friends. I think that my best friends are my mother and my sister, since I’m quite distrustful. I prefer having few friends but good. Of course, if I can help people or give suggestions I’m glad to do it, but I share my inner thoughts only with few persons.
Q) Which is the most important victory of your career?
A) There are many. I think that all the victories gave me something. It would be too easy to answer the 2002 World Championship, but that victory is already very far back in the past. All victories, all medals gave me big gratifications, every day.
Q) And what about the defeats?
A) We have to take into account this possibility. Though it is not easy, it’s important to try to accept a defeat, avoiding to blame ourselves and analysing what went wrong in order to perform better in the next match.
Q) How do you react after a defeat?
A) I feel bad, I’m eaten up with disappointment but deep down it’s just a Volleyball match. I cannot torture myself for an entire month! Defeats can happen and I face it. It’s part of the game.
Q) For how long, would you like to continue to play Volleyball?
A) Surely for the next three years, unless something else happens. Then… who knows? If I find the right person I’ll quit. I want TO have a baby…
Q) Is it hard to find the right person?
A) It’s very difficult. Now, at my age, it is more difficult because the more you grow up, the more demanding you are. When you are younger it’s easier TO be satisfied with a little. It’s hard to find the right person, so hard!
Q) Which is your first thought about the Olympics Games?
A) It’s a nice event, a good target. For any athlete it is a honour to take part in the Olympic Games. Given that this is the third time for me at the Olympic Games, I hope this is the right one!
Q) Could you compare Sydney and Athens Olympic Games?
A) Sidney was wonderful because was my first Olympic Games. For Italy it was already a great success to be there, since the Italian Women Volleyball never qualified for the Olympics before then. It was a dream for me to be there. Athens… I have many regrets because we could have played much better to deserve a better position. This one…we’ll see, we’ll do our best.
Q) Who is the most important coach in your career?
A) All gave me something. Maybe with someone I didn’t have a good relation but all the coaches I had gave me something. Massimo [Barbolini] is a wonderful person … I like training with him because he treats us first of all as persons, then as athletes. Many coaches should learn from him: we are persons, not just a number on the shirt or a player.
Q) Any pebble in your shoe you would like to get rid of?
A) I don’t have any. As soon as they enter my shoe I get rid of them immediately. I don’t like to wait because then they become painful!
Q) Did you practice any other sport?
A) Yes, when I was younger I used to swim, because I was a “live wire”. I also went to a riding school, then I attended classical dance lessons (but I was hopeless as a dancer) and now, in my spare time, I like TO play tennis.
Q) Which is the favourite team to win Beijing Games?
A) Many. Russia, Brazil, China, USA. We are many and the place we all run for is one only… It is hard… very hard… but this is a secret between us!
Bye bye Francesca Piccinini