The Italian Women’s National Softball Team has reunited in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region to open a week-long training camp, preparing for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the European Softball Championship 2021. A total of 22 players were called up by the new head coach, Federico Pizzolini.
The Italian Baseball Softball Federation (FIBS - Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball) President Andrea Marcon and head coach Pizzolini (absent due to an asymptomatic infection for COVID-19) sent a message through a video conference, and agreed on the two main goals of the team: "To win the European championship again, and then a medal at the Olympics."
This camp is the first team meeting since the end of January. It’s also the first activity since the loss of former head coach Enrico Obletter, who passed away last month due to to complications resulting from COVID-19.
Team captain Erika Piancastelli said: “If our dream was playing to win a medal, now we have to make this dream come true, not only for us, but for Enrico."
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The training camp will be held between Gradisca d'Isonzo and Ronchi dei Legionari, the same place where the Italian squad will try to defend their European title from 27 June to 3 July, just a few weeks before the start of the Olympic Games.
Italy’s hopes of winning the country’s first Olympic medal in softball will start on 21 July, as they open against world No. 1 USA in Fukushima. Italy's highest finish at the Olympics is fifth place (Sydney 2000). Four years later, they finished in eighth place at Athens 2004. Tokyo 2020 will be Italy’s third Olympic participation in softball.
