A place among the greatest. Samuele Papi, great Sisley champion, now 49-year-old deputy of coach Dante Boninfante at Tinet Prata, has been included in the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke in Massachussetts, together with other great ones such as Bernardinho, Peter Murphy, Kerry Walsh Jennings and Fernanda Venturini.
“This 2022 is an extraordinary class of recruits,” said IVHF president Steve Bishop. “It is a special time – it was said in the ceremony – to watch each candidate reflect on their respective careers as they are celebrated for their many achievements and contributions to our sport. We invite the entire volleyball family to join us for this year’s event ».
Samuele Papi entertained the audience with a speech, in which he thanked the International Volleyball Hall of Fame. Physically, a showcase appears in Holyoke with the big names in volleyball, awarded over the decades. On a showcase there is also a star with the name, by Samuele Papi. The town is the home of volleyball, because it was born here in 1895. Instead the Hall of Fame was inaugurated in 1985. The first Italian to be awarded this award was Julio Velasco, in 2003. In 2007 it was the turn of Andrea Gardini, in 2008 by Andrea Giani, in 2011 by Mister Secolo Lorenzo Bernardi; in 2021 Taismany Aguero.
Being registered here is worth immortality. «I am very happy with this recognition, because actually it is not for everyone. I shivered – confesses the former Sisley hitter nicknamed “O’Fenomeno” – when the images of Falconara, my hometown, and some fragments of my victories were projected ».
Samuele Papi – 339 appearances in blue – was connected with the American location by videoconference. «The victories are all beautiful, maybe the first ones are lived more intensely. The defeats? Well, there’s not much need to do a search. I failed to win Olympic gold (but he has 4 Olympic medals, ndr), and I miss this ».
Next year Samuele Papi celebrates the 25th anniversary of his arrival in Treviso: therefore, the silver wedding with our city is imminent. «I arrived in 1998, and I immediately felt great – he concludes – then I sold the apartment in the center and moved to Villorba, where I have lived for 15 years. I am happy to be here, because my daughters were born and raised ».
Currently Papi is also deputy to Greece, always as Dante Boninfante’s faithful squire. And, after the Italian Hall of Fame, his name shines in the elite of world volleyball.