Starcup Project 2010

Interview with Mauro Mariani, coach of the Charismines

Le Carismine, the Magnificat Community women’s 5-a-side soccer team, took second place in the 2010 Starcup. The Starcup is a 5-a-side soccer tournament organized by the Youth Ministry of the Diocese of Perugia – Città della Pieve in which the youth from parish oratories and youth groups of ecclesial movements participate. In this tournament in addition to the matches there are beautiful moments of catechesis and a chapel with Eucharistic adoration for the duration of the event. This year more than 500 young people including boys and girls participated and the event was a real success.

We interviewed Mauro Mariani, in his first year of novitiate, who has been the coach of the Charismines, to let us tell us something about this experience.

Mauro this was your first Starcup for you. What was your impression? What did you think of this event?

When I heard about this event, I immediately made myself available to help out in any role, from referee to simple volunteer. Instead, I was offered to coach the Charismines, since the boys who previously played this role were busy organizing the event. Given my passion for soccer and my previous coaching experience, it was a joy for me to accept this proposal. I must say that I was surprised by how the boys participated in all the activities offered during the tournament, especially the catechesis and worship times. As an adult I can understand how much grace can pass through these moments. The atmosphere during the event and also during the weeks of anticipation was very nice. A large oratorio was held that was active 4 days, where the kids spent the whole day between sports, music and spirituality.

For you who have been a 5-a-side soccer player, coach in the youth sector of your village team and in the uisp league, what was the experience of coaching a women’s team at a parish tournament?

At first I did not know what to expect, I did not know how much of my knowledge I could pass on to these girls. In the end I can say that, as in any service experience, it was much more what I received than what I gave. I found a group that was very united and also technically prepared to face this tournament. The commitment and will that the girls put into the game made me realize that the goal of educating through sports was achieved, the team set a goal for themselves and put their all into achieving it. To experience sports in this way is a growth and a life lesson. The goal slipped away in the finals but that is not important, what is important is the knowledge that we put our all into it.

Cha what is the Starcup outside the camp? How were the catechesis and worship times within the 4 days?

The whole tournament is made to give a chance for the boys of the parishes to have an experience of the living Jesus; soccer is just a pretext, or rather a tool. Most of our girls are already living an established experience and deep relationship with God, but the catechesis and worship times experienced together as a team were an additional teaching on the importance of community life, how to face fears, trials and joys together and with God. The catecheses of the first two days, given by Joseph Piegai, focused on warning the children about the dangers of the world and the importance of putting God at the center of one’s life. The catecheses of the last two days focused on rediscovering the relationship with God the Father by addressing the difficulties in the relationship with the natural father. Also very touching was the testimony of Brother Stephen, a former professional soccer player who responded to God’s call by taking vows in the Franciscan order and giving up life as a soccer player.

What do you take with you from this experience?

I will preface this by saying that I never thought I would be moved by an experience in such a context! It was a great joy for me to return to a coaching experience, and I am even happier that this experience was given to me within the Church, to which I have been back for about 3 years, thanks to the Community, after a really difficult period. This has been a special experience for me, when I was young I was one of those who thought “better one day as a lion than 100 as a sheep” and in this way I lived my life and sport, now instead, by grace, I can say that it is better one day in the halls of the Lord than a thousand elsewhere, and these days have confirmed this for me. I experienced this event as a great gift from the Lord, and I am sure that all the kids come out of this experience knowing that God is always ready to love them, support them and lift them up from their falls, just as He did with me.