When a national program charts its course for a global championship, the initial selection camp serves as both a physical audit and a tactical laboratory. For Italy’s Under-19 rink hockey team, that vital first step took place at the Palasport San Giorgio in Recoaro Terme, the federal center of Skate Italia. Head Coach Pierluigi Bresciani convened a tightly edited roster of 16 players for the program’s sole summer visionatura—a high-stakes evaluation window running from June 30 to July 3, 2026—designed to lay the groundwork for the upcoming World Skate Games in Asunción, Paraguay.
Unlike previous cycles that featured extended summer camp circuits, this streamlined calendar leaves little room for error. The technical staff utilized the Recoaro Terme sessions to evaluate player deployment, positional versatility, and structural coordination under pressure before the squad disperses ahead of the final pre-tournament camp on September 12. From there, the team will pack its gear for South America, where the Under-19 World Championship officially commences on October 3, 2026.
Roster Construction and Club-Level Concentrations
A closer look at the 16-man selection reveals distinct geographical and tactical hubs powering the Italian youth system. Hockey Trissino emerges as the dominant supplier of floor talent, contributing five outfield players who give Bresciani immense tactical flexibility across the wings and central channels. Meanwhile, Pumas Viareggio—fresh off capturing the Italian Under-19 Scudetto—anchors the squad's spine through a robust representation of three outfield skaters and netminder Matteo D’Avanzo.
The complete 16-player selection is structured across traditional rink hockey deployment lines:
- Goalkeepers: Giulio Bacci (Forte dei Marmi), Matteo D’Avanzo (Pumas Viareggio), Giovanni Cunegatti (HC Valdagno), Filippo Poletti (CGC Viareggio)
- Centers/Wingers: Elia Cardella (Pumas Viareggio), Martin Cenci (Roller Bassano), Pietro Crosara (HC Valdagno), Tommaso Montecroci (Roller Hockey Scandiano), Giovanni Pesavento (Pumas Viareggio), Andrea Tognetti (Hockey Trissino)
- Wingers/Forwards: Gregorio Antonini (Rotellistica Camaiore), Edoardo Boscaro (Hockey Trissino), Simone Ceretta (Hockey Trissino), Lorenzo Giovannelli (Forte dei Marmi), Jacopo Reniero (Hockey Trissino), Francesco Tognetti (Hockey Trissino)
Navigating the Road to Asunción
The temporal gap between the June evaluation camp and the September 12 re-assembly places a heavy developmental burden on domestic league fixtures. Because the official match schedule for the Asunción World Skate Games remains unreleased by tournament organizers, Bresciani’s staff must build structural contingencies without the benefit of knowing their group-stage opponents or opening-match chronology. This absence of a fixed schedule mirrors the logistical setup of past international cycles, though the condensed preparation window heightens the premium on tactical cohesion during the September training block.
Sources
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- Redazione original
- Redazione Versilia Post original
- fisr.it original
- Staff original
- Redazione NoiTV original
