Our Institute Carmagnola II has seen two pupils grow and then become national heroes:

ILENIA Cordola – Basketball LUCA Adami-finswimming

Ilenia is 17 and she’s been playing basketball since she was 7 years old. She attended St Bernardo school from 2002 to 2007.

She has to thank her teacher Ileana, who taught basketball during P.E. lesson at school and then she met Piero Gili: a very good

trainer. She started in the youngest Carmagnola team, first with only girls and then 1 year with boys because there were few

girls to make a team. Later she played 6 years more with girls again.

She missed a real team in Carmagnola, so her father brought her to play in the Turin team which was the strongest woman

team in Piedmont. The year after she was called by other teams until she joined the Venaria team, where they got very good

results. Ilenia played in the most important regional teams.

In order to enter the Piedmont team it’s important to work hard and try to do your best. In this team she won a lot of prizes,

then she played in the National team 6 times. In summer 2012 the team took part in the European championship. They won the

silver medal because they lost the match against Spain.

She says: ”It is amazing when we win, and when we lose all of us are a little disappointed. It seems that all the work you did is

useless, but after this moment you immediately need to start training again and do your best to improve what probably was

wrong. Overall it is important to recognize that the opponents were better than you if you lost”.

Now she is playing in Libertas Basket Bologna

“Playing in a new or old team is the same. It is really good to work in team because if you feel down, you are supported by all the

others and when you win it is not only for you but for the whole team. Each player gives her personal contribution even if you

cannot see it. You can make friends that last for a long time since you share everything with them.

The most important thing is to have a strong character. Be really strong and never give up!”