Thursday, 4th of July, 2019
We hope that everyone back home enjoyed a traditional Independence Day with family and friends at a BBQ with a few ice cold adult beverages in hand and a fireworks display in the evening.
As for we Americans in Italy on this fine day, we indeed had a . . .
We had everything but the fireworks
We also used this quintessential
American Holiday to spread the word
about American football in general and
the Varese Skorpions in particular
The Skorpions had been invited
to demonstrate American football
to the locals at a stadium in nearby
Morazzone where an American
4th of July celebration was held
Why exactly a 4th of July celebration in Italy on a Thursday night, I can not say for sure.
My guess is that our Italian friends are always on the lookout this time of year for a reason to get together, grille and have a festa!
Skorpion supporter Stefano
had us California Dreaming
We'll be home in Camarillo in less than two weeks now.
Kids getting American colors
face painted as they entered
the spots complex
Drinks to the right,
grilled food to the left
Two of these, per favore
We opted for the burgers
on the right, the hot dog on
the left was not ours
Old Glory flying by the
snack bar
Skorpions Prima Squadra
warming up in front of
the assembled multitudes
We had a skeleton group tonight with some players playing way out of position by necessity.
Dario D'Adelfio at CB
wearing #53
We have to attack his side based on his jersey number alone.
QB Gianluca Arena coming out
of retirement to throw deep tonight
Biondo at Free safety
"A loop, a whirl and a
VERTICAL CLIMB . . ."
Sofia taking over my usual
Rehydration Therapy job
She has tremendous potential in this all important career. In another seven or eight years, if she works hard, she may be ready to replace me.
LB Stefano Granelli in gray on
the near end has a LOT of work
to do on his four point stance
As I said, several players were battling outside of their normal spots.
Filippo's reverse caught me
by surprise
QB Jack was, as always, the
Mad Bomber!
Enzo was happy to get his
red bandana back tonight
It has been sitting in the Villa Skorpion II since the end of the Venom Camp.
Jack going down the middle
I'm not 100% positive, but I believe
that SIX players in the backfield
is illegal, even to most Italian refs
But probably not all.
Really switching roles, our Defense
was on Offense and vice versa
CB Dario was en fuego at the QB spot for the gray team.
Dario was not afraid to go DEEP!
I think that Dario was trying to
dish the ball off to FS
turned RB Biondo
Bruno and Pietro working the
interested crowd trying to recruit
a new Skorpion or two
I was a ref during the Prima
Squadra scrimmage
After the Prima Squadra scrimmage was over, the local kids from Morazzone got on the field to get a small taste of the great game of American football.
As always, we were looking to recruit a few more players into the Skorpion family.
The kids formed into three groups
of about 20 per group eventually
DONUTS!
Enzo tossing the ball
to a budding WR
Giorgio tossed this one
Enzo throwing DEEP!
A quick view of our simple opening
drill with all of the groups
I CAUGHT IT!
This is FUN!
All mine!
This kid is a deadly WR
Meanwhile, our U15 Flag team
was showing the crowd one of
our usual flag tackling drills
Now we added the Donuts to
spice things up a bit
It could get hectic out there!
Turning on the jets to avoid
DANGER!
Now what are we adding?
Oh, my!
This is like a scene from that old Richard Gere movie First Knight.
Lots of kids having fun running . . .
. . . in the . . .
. . . GAUNTLET!
Laurie getting artsy
with a field cone
Some of the kids made updated
American flags
Yikes, Trump image spoiling
my otherwise fabulous evening
I think that everyone had a good time experiencing American football in a festive atmosphere on this Fourth of July in Italia!
On the next EuroBall experience front . . .
We will form a U18 Europe Warriors
squad in November to take on the
Austrian National U18 squad
That sounds like fun to me and I hear the Vienna has BEAUTIFUL November days for American football.
It should be a great experience for everyone involved.
No comments:
Post a Comment