3-Cushion
The young European talents in three cushion and players from other parts of the world have been held back in their development by this year of COVID-19 crisis. The last World Junior Championship in Valencia 2019 ended with super-talent Myung-Woo Cho in his last year as the winner and three Koreans on stage. The next World Championship event in the Netherlands was postponed and almost certainly not played.
Was it a year of standstill and stagnation, of desperately waiting for the new start? How do young players deal with the crisis in this important part of their career? Kozoom went in search and starts a series of interviews from now with young billiard players: about the crisis, the future of their careers, the current conditions in their home countries and life without championships, tournaments and competitions. Today part 7: Alessio D'agata from Italy
Name: Alessio D'agata
Age: 20
Place of residence: Catania, Italy
Profession/study: Business Economics student
Hobby's: Reading books, watching films and listening to music
Relationship? Engaged
Billiard club? Master Club Catania, Green Planet gold, Porcia
Sponsors: Longoni, Royal Pro
Kozoom/Frits Bakker: 1 How do you deal with this year in which the COVID crisis dominates all the world?
Alessio D'agata: In sporting, it has been an extremely difficult year, because I had to cancel two very important stages, in Turkey and in Austria. Further, all the championships have been cancelled, and finally I had also difficulties to practice. Nevertheless, I organized myself in the best way possible and now I can regularly train and try to improve my game. I am also checking the possibility to afford a mental coaching, in order to get a better mental disposition for the competitions. Meanwhile, I started to attend the business economics University in Catania.
2. Kozoom: Is this a time of standstill and stagnation in your young career, in which fast development and progression for young players are so important?
Alessio D'agata: Actually, I feel a bit frustrated, because of many reasons: first I had to miss those important stages abroad, after I had to completely stop my trainings for more than two months, because of the lockdown in Italy. Anyway, I tried my best to stay positive, especially now that I could restart my daily training routine.
3. Kozoom: How is the current situation in your home town and your country in relation to COVID-19?
Alessio D'agata: In the recent time, the situation in Sicily has been worse than in the other Italian regions, but now it looks like the long winter lockdown brought slowly better conditions in all Italy. The situation is getting better and there are less restrictions.
4. Kozoom: How are the conditions for training? How much can practice every day or week?
Alessio D'agata: Although we still have a lot of limits, the Italian Billiard Federation managed to get the permission (under some conditions) for some players to continue to practice. Personally, I try to train as much as possible, and so I usually practice for 2 hours in the late afternoon/evening, 4/5 times in a week.
5. Kozoom: How does life look for you without championships, tournaments and competitions?
Alessio D'agata: The competition is one of the main points to be focused on, and I miss it, I miss the tournaments and I miss the chance to meet other players. But especially in these times, I believe that thinking positive is essential, for example I try to set my own goals and focus on them.
6. Kozoom: What is your country or federation doing to develop careers of young talents?
Alessio D'agata: Regarding to me, the FIBIS, our federation, has always supported me and provided the organizations of stages for youth in which the young players can improve their level. Further, the Italian federation always supported me to participate in international championships. Naturally, the Covid-19 has cancelled most of these projects, but I'm sure that after this situation, the federation will do its best to involve new young players in our sport. In Italy there are many people who believe in the growth of young talents. I'd like here to mention and to thank the Fibis president Andrea Mancino, Marco Zanetti, Roberto Turlà, Libero Picciano, Stefano Malacrita and Fabio Gaiotti. Especially, I would also like to thank my sponsors Longoni and Royal Oro for their support, and last but not least, Paolo Niceforo and my father Giuseppe D'agata who approched me to this wonderful sport.
7. Kozoom: How do you see your future as a sportsman and possibly as a professional billiard player?
Alessio D'agata: Since I was twelve, becoming a professional billiard player has been one of my biggest dreams. I'll do my best to make it come true, obviously its'not an easy way but I wish that there would be the right and favorable opportunities to realize my dream.
Alessio D'agata at the World championship in Randers
Alessio with his girlfriend Ludovica at Milan plazza
Alessio D'agata with his sponsor, Pierluigi Longoni