Signing of collaboration agreement between Paola Volleyball Club and the Italian volleyball club of Akademia Sant’Anna

A collaboration agreement has been signed between the Maltese volleyball club, Paola Volleyball, and the Italian Serie A2 team of Akademia Sant’Anna, based in Messina, Sicily. This agreement follows weeks of discussions be‐ tween Dr Kenneth Vella, Paola Volleyball club President, Dr Fab‐ rizio Costantino, President of the Sicilian club and Dr Giuseppe Venuti, Vice President. In recent years, Italy has experienced a major improvement in this sport, which is reflected in the positive results achieved in both male and female international categories.

This collaboration agreement was announced during the gen‐ eral meeting of the Italian club which was held in Messina on Wednesday 31st January. Through this agreement, profes‐ sional coaches from the Sicilian club will be conducting training sessions for the Paola nursery players. Maltese coaches will also attend sessions in Sicily with the Italian club coaches. The agree‐ ment will give the opportunity to Maltese players from both the club nursery and the senior cate‐ gories to attend training sessions in Italy and participate in tourna‐ ments taking place in Messina. A training camp will be held in Malta for the Italian team that plays in the senior category in the Italian league, as well as other Si‐ cilian teams.

“Our club committee is more than satisfied with this agree‐ ment. This collaboration will help our club to improve its level, not only technically, but also at ad‐ ministrative level. The collabora‐ tion confirms the Paola club strategy to keep strengthening its structures, as well as providing our players, both in the nursery and in the senior level, and our coaches, with new opportunities. I would like to thank Dr Costan‐ tino and the board of directors at Akademia Sant’Anna for their trust in our club, as well as our club sponsors, Executive Security Services, Izibet, Dragonara Casino and Brasserie, Maypole, De Paola Pharmacy, HandsOn Systems and Yes2Health Fitness Club. Their support enables me and the com‐ mittee members of our club to reach new heights,” commented Kenneth Vella.

Dr Fabrizio Costantino thanked the Paola club committee for this collaboration and looks forward to working together. One of the aims of the Sicilian club is to es‐ tablish itself as one of the leading Italian clubs in Serie A. Presently it has also a strong nursery which includes around 100 girls. The col‐ laborative agreement is expected to improve the level of volleyball in Malta as well as enhance sports tourism between Malta and Italy. “Our club has big ambitions and is aiming at ranking among the top Italian volleyball clubs, as well as increasing its international net‐ work. The collaborative agree‐ ment was only possible through the support of different Italian Si‐ cilian entities like Saccne Rete, Framon Hotel, Unipegaso Messina, Seap, Tradimalt, IOS ‐ Is‐ tituto Odontostomatologico Sicil‐ iano, Conad, Gruppo Formula 3, Spremute Simone Gatto and Eds Infrastrutture”,” concluded Dr Costantino.