The illness and the rush to the hospital Joseph DiFresco They brought everyone together around his reality: Team Casano. A post on social media by Pino Toni, showing his sports director's badge, Without too many turns of phrase, it tells of a new adventure born to lend a hand to a friend. Reinvigorated, however, so we read, by a group of willing young people. The episodes of life, often changeable and uncontrollable, have brought about a new phase in the Team CasanoOnce the pieces were put back in order, we immediately thought about how to keep this reality going.
«I've been working as a trainer – says Pino Toni from his workshop – with Team Casano since last season, a role I also held for other junior teams. Since Giuseppe (Di Fresco, ed.) became ill, I decided to roll up my sleeves and lend a hand. I have known him for more than twenty years, when he was at Berti and I started working with him. Those were the times of Damian Caruso, so to speakWe continued working together at Mastromarco too, when he moved on to deal with amateurs."
Friendship and passion
In 2024 Pino Toni had the role of preparerNow he wanted to take it a step further. He was certainly motivated by friendship, but that wasn't all.
«Di Fresco took care of Team Casano – he continues – in its entirety. He was and still is the beacon of this teamHe went around looking for sponsors and teams to start collaborations with, the latest one being with Stabbia. This historic Florentine company was at risk of closingSo Di Fresco went to talk to their president, Benvenuti, and they found a way to continue. A very nice thing, especially since Stabbia will be 50 years old in 2025. Di Fresco would have continued his duties as technician and manager and had assembled a high-level staff."
You have to take the reins of a well-formed team, how do you do it?
I won't be alone. With me there will be two other sports directors: Michele Corradini and Alessandro MansuetoThe latter is a trainer for the Federation, he's Sicilian and supervises our two boys who live there. Michele Corradini, on the other hand, is completing the third-level training course.
Is it a well-organized team?
Absolutely. A nutritionist, Matteo Michelotti, has joined the staff this winter.A new figure that Di Fresco and I were talking about and that he had the foresight to include.
How is Di Fresco?
Well, he has to be careful not to overload himself with work and stress. He needs to rest as much as possible and it will take some timeIt's not easy for us either. After the initial confusion, we had lost our bearings a bit. It took a little while to get everything back in balance.We managed to take the pressure off Di Fresco and spread it across everyone.
What more will you do?
I will be there with the boys, I will help Corradini in managing training and dataThen we'll also have to take care of the racing part: preparing for it, being in the team car, and managing the strategy. Little by little, we'll understand how to do it and establish a way of working, something that has already been partially done.
In what way?
I brought the model I know, the one from a professional team. A reality where all commitments are divided among the various staff members. It'll be difficult, but we'll try to complete all the tasks. I think if there's one place where we can try to undertake a large-scale project, it's Team Casano.
It's about introducing a model that will then be the one of the future, even once Di Fresco returns.
Of course! We want to grow the team and make it professional, so it can support young people and their growth.
What does professional mean?
May collaborations be born and may they be ongoing. Have resources to make investments in staff and resources.
