By Patrizia Cherici
March 6, 2024 marks a historic date for basketball in Anghiari with the birth of Libertas San Bartolomeo. This new sports project aims to bring basketball back into the community, rediscovering tradition and involving young people and enthusiasts.
Basketball has a long and rich tradition in Anghiari, dating back to the 60s. At that time, the city was a nerve center for basketball, with the presence of two main clubs: the ‘Baldaccio’ and the ‘Libertas’. In the 70s and 80s, the basketball movement in Anghiari reached its peak, with exciting matches and heated rivalries between the two teams. This fervor remained alive until the 90s, when, unfortunately, local basketball suffered a sharp decline, culminating in the closure of the last clubs. Basketball in Anghiari has experienced a long period of absence, which lasted about twenty-five years. The last company, led by Paolo Chiodini, closed its doors at the end of the 90s, leaving a significant void. However, the passion for the sport has never faded, fuelling the desire to bring basketball back into the city’s daily life.
The colours of Libertas San Bartolomeo are white and green, chosen to honour the local tradition. Although the original colours of the Libertas were white and red, the decision to adopt white and green reflects a deeper connection with Anghiari and its patron saint, St. Bartholomew. This choice is not only aesthetic, but represents a strong symbol of identity and belonging.
Libertas San Bartolomeo has ambitious goals for the future. One of the main ones is the creation of a solid youth base, involving local school children and offering them the opportunity to play basketball in a stimulating environment.
Ezio Boncompagni played a fundamental role in the rebirth of Libertas San Bartolomeo. His passion for basketball, which began in childhood, led him to want to restore the sporting tradition in Anghiari. With the support of other former players and fans, he worked tirelessly to bring this new reality to life, committing himself to involving the community and promoting basketball among young people.
Alessandro Zanchi also plays a crucial role within Libertas San Bartolomeo. As president, he not only leads the team but also serves as a mentor to young talent. His experience in basketball, combined with his passion for the game, makes him a figure of reference for all members of the company.
Libertas San Bartolomeo proposes itself as a real forge of talents. The goal is to make the most of the potential of young people in the area, creating a stimulating environment for their growth. The Libertas youth program is not limited to training athletes, but aims to develop personal and social skills. Through playing sports, children learn core values such as teamwork, discipline and resilience. This approach not only enriches the local sports landscape but also contributes to the formation of responsible and active citizens.
The Libertas San Bartolomeo team is mainly made up of young athletes, a factor that presents challenges and opportunities. The choice to focus on a young nucleus is strategic, as it allows you to build a team with long-term potential. However, inexperience can lead to difficulties during matches, especially in a competitive league. For this reason, the boys need constant training and support to improve their skills, to know how to manage the pressure in facing more experienced teams, playing in a positive environment and in an atmosphere of support and motivation within the team.
Alessandro Zanchi, as president and captain, works tirelessly to provide young people with the necessary guidance. His experience and positive approach are key to helping kids overcome difficulties and grow both as athletes and as people.
A crucial aspect for Libertas San Bartolomeo is the balance between the growth of young athletes and the search for sporting results. Victories are certainly important, but they don’t have to be the only goal: the team must also ensure that young players have the opportunity to play and gain experience.
This balance requires careful planning and strategic resource management. Decisions must be made with the future of the team and the well-being of the players in mind. Creating an environment where young people can express their talent, while trying to achieve positive results, is an ongoing challenge.
The future of basketball in Anghiari therefore looks promising, thanks to the commitment of Libertas San Bartolomeo. With the creation of a solid youth base and the active participation of the community, the company has the opportunity to bring basketball back to the centre of local sports life: the ambition is to build a sporting reality that can last over time and that can inspire future generations. With the support of figures such as Alessandro Zanchi and Ezio Boncompagni, basketball in Anghiari can hope to return to its former glory, training not only athletes, but also active and aware citizens.
Minibasketball, the Value of an Intelligent Sport-game
Minibasket is the first step to enter as a family as autonomous, responsible and collaborative players and as better people: it has a great educational value, it improves the child’s motor skills and his cognitive and executive functions, because it requires attention, memory, ability to choose and decide.
The instructors also teach children life skills, such as, for example, managing emotions, knowing how to “read situations” and find “solutions” by collaborating and exercising autonomy and responsibility, respecting the rules and others. The cultural model of minibasketball is inspired by application methods in which knowledge and skills become skills and the functional-motor development plan is integrated with the emotional-cognitive level, for children who learn to play, understanding the meaning of what they learn (awareness) and grow up as freer, more autonomous, more competent, more responsible people.
The educational and training aspects are brought to the fore with great force through a coherent teaching that promotes all areas of the personality in an integrated way, not only or mainly the functional motor one. A teaching that takes into great consideration the different starting points of the children and that personalizes the paths (equity) to offer everyone the opportunity to learn, without producing waste (inclusion). A child who possesses knowledge and skills (the fundamentals) but does not know how to express and use them in a context to respond effectively to the problems that the situation presents to him, does not know how to play: he is not competent.
Reading the situation (the stimuli coming from the field), the most effective choice to solve the problem, quickly using knowledge and skills in a context (e.g. dribbling or passing or shooting?), characterize a competent child who has developed the ability to play.
Autonomy and responsibility are two other very important concepts: in fact, we cannot speak of competence without describing it with these two terms. The aim is to achieve awareness, a condition in which the cognition of something becomes interior, deep, perfectly harmonized with the rest of the person, in a coherent whole. It is the kind of knowledge that gives shape to ethics, to the conduct of life, to discipline, making them authentic. “Our Minibasket really involves the entire personality of the child (not just the functional aspect, therefore) and stimulates attention, memory, perception, thinking, spatial-temporal orientation, language and reasoning (cognitive functions); Meaningful learning proposals (teaching conditions for the development of competences) stimulate planning, decision-making, inhibition, regulation, correction and action (executive functions). From a scientific point of view, the World Health Organization states that, variously combined with each other, cognitive and executive functions contribute to determining the intelligence of each individual,” explains Paolo Biggio, head of the minibasketball sector.
Romolini Immobiliare is still Dukes’ main sponsor.
Dukes Sansepolcro basketball is pleased to announce the renewal of the partnership with Romolini immobiliare, which will continue to be the main sponsor of the team for the 2024 season. This collaboration, which has been going on profitably for some years now, has proved to be a winning combination, based on shared values and passion for sport and for the development of the territory.
In 2004, Riccardo and Marta founded Romolini Immobiliare, putting their extensive experience and deep passion for real estate to good use. As a couple and parents of three children, they quickly became known for their professionalism, resourcefulness and deep love for our land and its historical treasures, capturing the attention of a demanding international clientele. From the beginning, they focused on selling historic and prestigious properties, demonstrating remarkable dedication and determination that facilitated the rapid growth of their company.
Today, Romolini Immobiliare is famous for representing some of the most exclusive and sought-after properties in Italy. The agency’s commitment to excellence is reflected in its team, which is made up of highly qualified Italian professionals who possess an excellent command of English, allowing for effective communication with national and international clients. The team takes immense pride in offering tailor-made services, ensuring meticulous attention to every detail to meet the different needs and preferences of customers. Their deep knowledge of the territory and its infinite cultural nuances strengthens their ability to provide unparalleled service, inspiring trust and allowing them to establish long-term relationships with customers.
Since December 2008 Romolini Immobiliare has been an exclusive affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, a prestigious partnership that is extended exclusively by invitation and reserved for the most important brokers in the real estate world: “This important affiliation underscores the agency’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality, integrity, and service in the industry. As part of Christie’s network, Romolini Immobiliare continues to cultivate its reputation in the world of luxury real estate, aiming to offer an exceptional experience to its customers. Our operational and representative office is located in the heart of Sansepolcro and is a testament to the greatness and historical depth that embodies the ethos of our company. As a real estate agency specializing in historic properties and prestigious wineries throughout Italy, with a focus on the spectacular regions of Tuscany and Umbria, we are proud to be able to call this illustrious building our home. It’s not just a workspace; It’s a piece of history. Once the noble residence of the esteemed Pichi family, representatives of the Medici family in Sansepolcro, its glorious past is imprinted in every brick and beam. The Medici coat of arms proudly adorns the façade, constantly reminding us of the building’s noble lineage and the prestigious heritage that surrounds it. This historic emblem underscores our commitment to preserving and celebrating Italy’s rich cultural heritage, just like the properties we represent. Sansepolcro itself is a city rich in history and culture, dating back to its founding in the early Middle Ages. Known for its splendid Renaissance architecture and for being the birthplace of the famous painter Piero della Francesca, Sansepolcro is the ideal setting for our activities”.
“The historic environment of the city aligns perfectly with the character of the properties in which we specialize, making it an ideal location for Romolini Immobiliare. From 2020 to 2023, this magnificent building underwent a meticulous restoration. Every effort was made to preserve its salient features, ensuring that the integrity of its historic charm was maintained while subtly complementing modern conveniences. The restoration team has paid great attention to the preservation of the frescoes and the intricate decorations that adorn the interior, opening a window into the past grandeur of this Medici residence. Today, when you enter our office, you are greeted by the timeless elegance that reflects the properties we so proudly represent. The craftsmanship of a bygone era echo in every room, all to create an inspiring environment for both our clients and team members. We believe that our office is more than just a workplace: it is a symbol of our dedication to preserving and celebrating Italy’s rich historical heritage. Our invitation is to come and visit us in Sansepolcro to experience firsthand the mixture of historical grandeur and real estate excellence that defines our company“, they tell us.
Info: www.basketdukes.it
