​Three Paths, One Goal

Three paths that lead to a single goal: to give sports an increasingly fundamental role within Bocconi University as an element that contributes to making students feel part of a real community. This is the strategy, explains Riccardo Santolamazza, Director of Sport Operations, on which Bocconi Sport inaugurates the new season, which will be full of activities and events at every level.

"The three ways, or rather the three levels, that we are following aim to involve a growing number of students in our initiatives, both those who compete and those who see sport as essentially leisure," explains Santolamazza."So we have a first level made up of competitive teams, those that play in federal leagues and university competitions in their respective sports and that, of course, involve a limited number of student-athletes; a second level is represented by intramural activities, internal tournaments which last year, in the first edition, saw the participation of about 350 students including 3vs3 basketball, volleyball, 5-a-side football, table tennis, and swimming; finally, on the American model, we will leave some time slots available to those who want to come and train or play freely at the Bocconi Sport Center. With these first steps we hope to bring an increasing number of students closer to our activities."

That number is constantly on the rise thanks to the new structure, which acts as a real magnet, especially for those students who come from afar and who want to continue playing their favorite sport. "Since this splendid structure was completed," continues Riccardo Santolamazza , "the demand from high level players to join our competitive teams has increased enormously, so much so that – and unfortunately this is the other side of the coin - we are forced to accept only a small part, given that the the team rosters are at most 18-20 people. Those who come to Milan to study may be willing to drop down by a category in order to play with us, because they know that they will find a very professional environment, a competitive league and a top-flight structure within the campus. The most important recent example is that of Tommaso Bianchi, who last year played in A2 league in Biella and this year is playmaker of our basketball team in C Gold." He came thanks in part to the support programs for student-athletes "Bocconi Sport Athletes" and "Bocconi Sport Talent", which provide a series of economic benefits connected to an excellent university program. But this is not the main reason. "We have gained more and more credibility over the years," Santolamazza continues, "and now we are reaping the rewards. Another project we are working on, and in which we strongly believe, is to create a technical and managerial staff entirely composed of students, to further increase the sense of belonging."

As for activities between now and the end of the year, in addition to the resumption of league play, some international university events of absolute prestige are planned: "In November we will be in Barcelona", says Marco De Santis, Sport operations & Digital communication management, "for an event with many other European universities, with the men's basketball and football teams and the women's futsal squad; before that, in October, men and women of the tennis team will take the courts of the legendary Roland Garros, again as part of an international university competition. Then, later in October, following the example of the Anglo-Saxon model of nurturing sporting rivalry with other universities, we will challenge Luiss on the golf course."