I cannot even begin say how much I have loved the Italian food while here in Italy, but visiting England was a real treat! Day after my race I found a Krispy Cream so that was breakfast, well at least part of breakfast, I am an athlete in training still.
On the way to the track I spotted a piece of home but it's was a little ironic because it was an Ikea store, which is not an American store however, it gave me a little feeling of home all the way over in England.
The Gateshead meeting was amazing. It was so fun to be a part of the Italian team! I have to admit I was a little worried about how I would be welcomed into the group with my English tongue. I went to the training camp the week leading up to the meeting and had a blast with the relay teams assembled there (4x100 & 4x400 men and women).
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| "The new kids on the block" - all who were new to the team, boys are turned to show their hair cuts, the team captions cutting the hair were a little kinder to the girls using scissors instead of clippers. |
I could not have asked for a more welcoming group than I was received into being a part of the Italian team. The team functioned more like a family and a very cohesive group than a group of individuals just put together for a meet. The entire group moved and worked very close knit. Even the Italian federation president not only traveled with the team, but instead of staying in the 5 star hotel that a president usually would, he stayed with us the athletes. He could be found speaking to everyone on the team in various settings. He told us I want to you come to me if you have any problems, I want to be with you guys I want you to feel like I am here to help you with anything you need. An indeed he made sure he was available, and visible to all of the athletes.
- A Bit of Tradition-
The night before the meeting began we had a team meeting where the federation president and others lead the meeting. After he and spoke to the team the time was turned over to the team captains. The captains called for all the athletes who made the team for the first time to come forward. One at a time we were presented to the group, we introduced ourselves, then placing our hand on a team shirt from memory we made a vow. Once the vow has been recited then you bend over and the captions pour olive oil on your head (not too much), shake a little salt on your head then cut a piece of your hair and you are now free to move back into the group. Oh and you are not suppose to shower until after you race.
Many on the team knew that I did not speak Italian and some suggested that I memorize it in English, but I told them NO, it has to be in Italian - then they suggested that I just read from the paper and try to pronounce it correctly. The things was this typically if you mess up you have to start over until you get it right, if you mess up a lot then you get a lot more of your hair cut. I was determined to recite the vow from memory. So thanks to hanging out in the training room all day the trainers had me repeating over and over and over the vow. They would correct me when I mispronounced a word tell me brava! when ever I finished, and then try again.
So here is the Italian Vow....
Giuro di lottare
Many on the team knew that I did not speak Italian and some suggested that I memorize it in English, but I told them NO, it has to be in Italian - then they suggested that I just read from the paper and try to pronounce it correctly. The things was this typically if you mess up you have to start over until you get it right, if you mess up a lot then you get a lot more of your hair cut. I was determined to recite the vow from memory. So thanks to hanging out in the training room all day the trainers had me repeating over and over and over the vow. They would correct me when I mispronounced a word tell me brava! when ever I finished, and then try again.
So here is the Italian Vow....
Giuro di lottare
con ogni mia energia e con
assoluta lealtà
nel pieno rispetto
della mia integrità
fisica e morale
per l'onore
della maglia azzurra
che è il simbolo sportivo
dell' Italia
A rough Google Translation of this is...
I swear to struggle
with all my energy and with
absolute loyalty
in full compliance with
of my integrity
physical and moral
for the honor
the blue shirt
which is the symbol sports
of 'Italy
with all my energy and with
absolute loyalty
in full compliance with
of my integrity
physical and moral
for the honor
the blue shirt
which is the symbol sports
of 'Italy
Very beautifully stated right! I'm sure I'm still missing something in the translation but the general idea is very, very meaningful.
At the meet every time I saw one of the boys with their newly acquired hair style it made me laugh remembering the stress of trying to memorize the words, and how to pronounce them, and stumbling all the way through reciting them, and how the team captions were whispering the next line to me, and how everyone cheered me when I completed the vow.
At the meet every time I saw one of the boys with their newly acquired hair style it made me laugh remembering the stress of trying to memorize the words, and how to pronounce them, and stumbling all the way through reciting them, and how the team captions were whispering the next line to me, and how everyone cheered me when I completed the vow.
My race went well and I improved my mark to 56.3 and finish 4th. I was able to contribute 9 points to Italy for the team scores. I had hopes of being a part of the 4x400 team but maybe next time I will have the chance. As for now the next destination after returning home to Formia for 19 hours will be Sweden. The land of meatballs!
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| Outside of the Stadium at Gateshead |
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