Track athletics in the mountains? It can. And with good success. This is demonstrated by the activity of Giocallena Atleticadore, an association that is preparing to celebrate ten years of activity. Ten years in which many children and young people have been able to practice athletics of jumps and throws, obstacles and races between the lanes close to home. All thanks to the Vallesella track, in the municipality of Domegge, a structure for which Barbara Da Ros, coach and president of Giocallena, has spent so much.
Let’s retrace the young history of the Cadore association right here from the beautiful blue track of Vallesella.
«The adventure of Atleticadore Giocallena was born, if we want to say so, to keep faith with the promise made to the then mayor of Domegge Lino Paolo Fedon. When the track was due to be completed, he feared it would not be used. I assured him that this would not happen, I took the instructor course, I created a company from scratch. Since the track was inaugurated, it has been constantly used for training and competitions ».
You are preparing to blow out the ten candles. Can we take stock?
“It’s been a tiring but wonderful ten years. Lots of kids passed by us, some simply passed through Giocallena in the summer as an alternative to winter sports, others permanently. There have been years in which we have also had 90 members and all practitioners, others in which there have been few, but I think it is physiological of any sport to have ups and downs. We have had a lot of satisfaction, many of our athletes not only participated and got on the podium at the regional level, but also participated in the Italian category championships, where the podium was missed by a whisker several times, there was also a participation in the absolute Italian championships. Anyone who chews a bit of athletics knows how much participation alone is already a difficult goal to achieve since it must be deserved by obtaining the minimum of participation. In short, I can only be proud of what has been done ».
How do you manage to support your athletes who switch to absolute activity?
«For years now we have been collaborating with La Piave 2000, a company with which the“ greats ”who intend to take athletics more seriously are registered. While continuing to train in Vallesella, they have the opportunity to be followed on trips, to participate in more competitions and also to receive technical support when necessary. For two years, for the same reasons and with the same methods, one of our students has instead been registered with the Atl-Etica company in San Vendemiano. Having an absolute autonomous sector would be unthinkable for our possibilities, collaboration is fundamental ».
2020 wasn’t easy.
“It wasn’t easy but, despite everything, it was discreet. Although starting the season late due to Covid, the numbers of the promotional sector Beginners (from 8 to 11 years) and Boys (12 and 13 years), were good. This year we have again a large group of Beginners and there is no shortage of Boys too ».
So doing athletics … at high altitude you can.
“Without a doubt, yes. Even if there are still too many people here who think of track athletics as a lowland sport, irreconcilable with snow, cold, frost and other winter sports, but that’s not true. Without ever leaving Cadore for training, our athletes have achieved excellent results even in the indoor season, ie winter. We are, and I say this with pride, much more than a simple experiment: we started with a “let’s try”, but now we are a solid reality ».
Is there any room for growth?
“I have athletes who participate in all, and by all I mean all, the specialties, but we have neither the mattress for the pole, nor the cage for the launches, as well as having a mattress for the high jump of minimum dimensions and now dangerous for the heights reached by someone. To make an auction I have to move to Longarone when it is good, otherwise to San Vendemiano. The municipal administration of Domegge seems to believe in the potential of the track, the municipality of Calalzo constantly supports us, even the sponsors continue to support us. So, we are confident. While waiting for the track to be completed, we adapt to what we have even if, especially this season, the climate on the pitch is particularly heavy ».
What do you mean?
«As happens almost everywhere, here too football and athletics are“ separated at home ”, forced to live together, sharing the same facility. But it is not easy. Who does not know how athletics is made, probably does not know that the English term to define it is “Track & Field”, that is track and field. Field because so many things are done in the green rectangle surrounded by the track and this is not well seen by football. As president and technical manager of Atleticadore I am a bit tired. I have a thousand regards to the pitch and the track because they are our home. Despite all our attention, however, we annoy the football club which, like us, uses the Vallesella facility. We have been feeling special every day for some time now. I no longer have the strength to endure fights, jokes, looks, teasing and I no longer want to feel like an unwanted guest. You think we even got caught because our little ones threw hoops – hoops! – in the field. I would like to be able to continue the activity with serenity, but if this is not the case, I will move training to Longarone. I don’t see alternatives ».
How to get out of it?
«The track has enormous potential. Last summer many national level athletes from all over Italy trained in our facility. While on the pitch I had the opportunity to exchange more than a few words with them and the common opinion is that our system is one of the most beautiful in Italy, for its position, for the climate, for the possibility of outdoor spaces that can be used for running and other complementary activities. It is now necessary to strengthen Vallesella with the structures for throws and jumps. But it is also necessary to create the stands: currently, in fact, organizing events is difficult also because there are no stands and, in case of rain, certainly not rare in our parts, the simplest shelter is missing. There is also no warehouse where we in athletics can store our tools. Although there is a building belonging to the field with rooms used as changing rooms and storage, we only have access to a bathroom and a very small closet. The bulk of the equipment is crammed into four external boxes purchased by my company ».