Since I was a little kid, playing soccer gave me joy. Growing up in Milan, Italy during the golden age of Italian soccer, when the likes of Baggio and Maldini ruled the global scene, it’s only natural that I would grow up breathing the sport. Soccer was not only the sport everyone played, it was the ONLY sport that anyone played and talked about. The pitch (or more often courtyard, or street) was the place I (and everyone else) made friends, learned to win and lose, and developed a burning desire to push my limits and constantly improve.
Most importantly, I fully lost myself in the game. The pitch was my sanctuary. Time flew and when darkness came, I couldn’t wait to play again. Each match presented the perfect mix of challenge, rivalry, learning, excitement. And as I got a little better, the game got tougher and more challenging, keeping me constantly on my toes. When I played, I was “in the zone” and would get lost in a state of “athletic bliss” that got me fully focused on the game.
Then injuries, stress and distractions came. They started small and crept up on me. First, I got a nasty turf burn on my right thigh. Didn’t think much of it at the beginning, but I played so much that it became impossible to ignore it. At every play, I was reminded that a slide or rough contact would bring me pain. The pain itself didn’t bother me as much: what I hated was the constant distraction. It took me out of “the zone”, it distracted me and deprived me of the “athletic bliss” that had got me addicted to the game. The fear of getting injured and the fear of losing or making a mistake had the same distracting, negative effect.
Just like a little rock in your shoe can ruin a gorgeous walk on the beach, injuries and anxiety are the nemesis of the beautiful game. Instead of seeing each play as a chance to shine, you begin to focus on the potential risks. They make you more timid, less excited to play, and in many cases completely kill the joy.
We created Storelli to protect the joy of the game and make the pitch your sanctuary. Our mission is to create innovative layers that arm you- whether a world-class professional or youth player- with the physical and mental strength to block all distractions and lose yourself fully in the game. So while you're out there working hard, rain or shine, know that your friends at Storelli are rooting for you and dreaming up new ways to help you "be in the zone".
Best wishes,
Claudio and the Storelli team
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