Alessia Ameri, a Serie A volleyball player, tells us how she got into the sport and how important nutritional discipline has been in her life as an athlete.
"Volleyball and I chose each other and fell in love with each other suddenly."
Volleyball entered my life by chance when I was very young. Not having a sports tradition at home, I can say that it was Japanese cartoons that pushed me towards this passion!
I picked up my first volleyball in elementary school. I remember them separating us into classes, and I was already able to serve from the top, becoming a nuisance to all the other kids. The teachers had to make me stop playing so the others could serve.
Then, in middle school, I played my first real match, during the school tournaments. With a lot of hard work and determination, and by starting to adopt a good nutritional discipline, I soon played my first real competitive match in Serie C. Getting there was a dream for me, even though we weren't a particularly successful team. With Serie C, I savored my first victories, which rewarded me for all my sacrifices.
In particular, I remember with great emotion a match I played against a former team of mine, who during the transfer window didn't think I was up to the level of Serie B1, even though I had achieved promotion from Serie B2 with them.
Fate would have it that I was acquired by another Serie B1 team in the same group: I beat my former team 3-2, in front of my former fans, who were clearly on my side because they didn't like the club's decisions: it was a wonderful feeling! A nice revenge against those who had tried to crush my dreams.
Then I participated in the Italian championship, managing to finish tenth in the final rankings after starting from zero points! I toured Italy!
But there's one thing that's always been common in every match, regardless of team or tournament: the excitement I feel every time I step onto the court, a mix of adrenaline and nerves that usually subsides as soon as I start throwing the ball, giving way to concentration and competitive spirit. I seem confident from the outside, but in reality I'm always very excited.
If I had to give advice to those new to this sport, I'd say it takes a lot of determination, sacrifice, and perseverance, along with attention to nutritional education.
Discipline in sport, especially team sports, is essential. It's impossible to reach certain levels and have a long career without it. With it, you ensure the gradual and necessary improvements that every talented athlete will experience in the future. Discipline also means respect, sacrifice, and sharing. When you're very young, you're often lazy in this regard, but as you get older, you realize the benefits of proper dietary discipline. Dietary discipline is essential for the health of our bodies, which, as athletes, represent our raw material, which must be preserved and made to function at its best. If the body functions well, important performances and even excellent recovery will be more easily guaranteed. It would be a good idea to start adopting a healthy dietary discipline right away, for example by regularly consuming nuts, legumes, and grains.
Nuts are omnipresent in my day: three walnuts a day and about ten almonds. I also consume dried chickpeas and chia seeds in yogurt, occasionally. Obviously, this way, I don't need to increase the amount on match days, however, it's my habit to carry a small bag in my bag for emergencies related to energy drops.
Since I don't eat meat, I make up for it with legumes and grains. Chickpeas, beans, lentils with or without pasta. Then rice, spelt, and barley. I also love any cereal I eat in the evening or, even better, for breakfast. I've been loving oatmeal lately.
This summer, do as I do... tackle beach volleyball matches by making this super recipe of mine: a farro salad, to which I add cherry tomatoes, corn, green olives, and tuna. A guaranteed win!
