Tag Archive for 'autismo'

Building a future in sports for young with autism

Published on November 12, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: autismo, mister.

For 10 years, the Integrated Football Academy has been dedicated to football and autism. We started as a Football School with 30 children aged 6–12, and today we involve 80 young people with autism.

The activity has always been supported by AS Roma, and during this training and sporting journey, a new project was developed—funded by the 8×1000 contribution of the Waldensian Church—to allow five young adults over 18 to expand their path not only as players but also to fulfill their dream of becoming coaches. Thanks to an online training program offered by the Italian Federation of Paralympic and Intellectual-Relational Sports (FISDIR), they obtained the qualification of multidisciplinary assistant.

This experience was followed by a paid internship for the duration of the competitive season, which allowed them to carry out this role by assisting coaches on the field.

The story of these young men has become a three-episode podcast, “Chiamami Mister” (“Call Me Coach”), created by Aligi Pontani and Giuseppe Smorto, narrated by Daniela Di Giusto.

As Luca says in the podcast: “Becoming a coach, for me and for the people close to me, is a great source of pride. It’s a huge step that I now have to keep building on.” And as Lollo adds: “Now I’m looking forward to helping the little ones.”

Listening to this podcast helps everyone understand that for young people with autism, it is possible to build a world with a positive and concrete future—one that goes beyond the limits we usually associate with them.

It’s good for our souls. Listen to it here:
https://open.spotify.com/show/4dPqPNY0nKynyeM7PFKc3c?si=5HSBTwvHSTWSCnY61C5BTw&nd=1&dlsi=21fe79cd1b0f4526

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Chiamami Mister: podcast about the dream to become sport coach

Published on October 24, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: autismo, lavoro, mister.

Call Me Mister - A podcast by Aligi Pontani and Giuseppe Smorto

“Call Me Mister” is a brand-new podcast that tells the inspiring story of five young adults with autism, all over 18, who play football at our Integrated Football Academy. Through their passion, they’ve taken on a new challenge — becoming assistant football coaches.

These are powerful, moving stories that show how sport can be much more than just a game: for these young people, football becomes not only a source of joy but also a path toward independence and employment.

The podcast unfolds over three episodes, following their journey from the first training sessions to the day they earn their coaching qualification, supported by parents, trainers, and the warm narration of Daniela Di Giusto.

Produced in collaboration with Fandango Podcast, Call Me Mister breaks down stereotypes about autism and celebrates how sport can foster inclusion, friendship, and confidence — both on and off the field.

Free to listen on all major audio platforms.

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Call Me Mister: The podcast of inclusion

Published on October 16, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: autismo, podcast.

The Integrated Soccer Academy in Rome has been welcoming young people with autism for ten years. For five of them, now adults, it became possible to take an online course with Fisdir to earn the qualification of assistant coach—with the blessing of Dybala, Roma’s star player. A real job: first a training experience, then employment, achieved after passing an exam.

A podcast has been created about this experience: Call Me Mister. Told in three episodes of about twenty minutes each, it recounts moments of connection and frustration, and their experience as assistant coaches on the field supporting other young people with autism—guided by the expertise of professionals (coaches, sports psychologists, doctors, and a speech therapist) and by their parents.

The authors are Aligi Pontani and Giuseppe Smorto, and the narrator is Daniela Di Giusto.

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Everyone can learn

Published on October 2, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Libri, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: autismo.

As coaches and psychologists, we know from both theory and experience that people are naturally built to learn. Learning starts with trying and ends with developing real skills.

Think about walking: every child begins by crawling, then learns to walk after many falls. But no child ever gave up on walking just because they kept falling. This shows us something simple—when you repeat the same activity over time, you create lasting changes. And those changes make new learning possible, like moving from walking to running.

That’s the idea behind Calcio e Basket Insieme, a project we’ve been running for 10 years. We’ve trained and played soccer with more than 500 kids ages 6 to 12, plus teens over 14. Our goal isn’t just to teach sports, but also to help them spend time with friends, enjoy the outdoors, and share the joy of playing together.

From this experience, we published the first book on autism and soccer to share our approach. very soon we will publish the English version of it.

Autismo e Calcio

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Ten years of “Calcio Insieme”: Principles, goals, and results of the Integrated Football Academy

Published on June 17, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: autismo.

Ten years after the launch of the Integrated Football Academy, aimed at children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, we would like to share the guiding principles that have informed our work from the very beginning.

Not just doing good, but doing it well
From the outset, our goal as a sports association was not only to offer football as an activity, but also to systematically monitor and document the results achieved. We chose to move beyond the simplistic notion that sport, in itself, is inherently beneficial. Instead, we sought to clearly illustrate which specific motor, athletic, and psychosocial areas are positively impacted through structured practice.

A real football school
We focused on children with autism between the ages of 6 and 12, as early childhood is a critical period for introducing sports. This is when fundamental motor patterns are established and initial experiences of social interaction begin. We also aimed to counteract the high risk of sedentary behavior commonly seen in this population.

Football as a tool for inclusion and social integration
Through regular participation in the Academy’s activities, children were offered a meaningful group experience, sustained throughout the entire sports season, alongside their peers, coaches, and sports psychologists. This experience facilitated, to varying degrees, the acquisition of social norms such as greetings at the beginning and end of training sessions, respect for peers and adults, and the ability to follow structured sessions led by trained professionals.

A multidisciplinary team
From the beginning, we built a team composed of sports professionals with diverse skill sets: football coaches, graduates in Sports Science, and sports psychologists, supported in the field by a speech therapist and a medical doctor. All staff members participated in a 32-hour training course specifically designed and delivered by our team.

Everyone can learn
By combining clinical diagnoses, family insights, and direct observation on the field, we assessed each child’s level of functioning. This allowed us to provide personalized instruction, identifying who needed one-on-one support and who was ready to work in small groups of three children per coach.

Integration with typically developing peers
From the very first year, we organized joint training sessions with children from AS Roma’s football school. Starting in the second year, we also facilitated on-field meetings with the participants’ classmates, further enhancing opportunities for social integration and peer interaction.

Fostering a sense of belonging among families and youth
Another key objective has been to nurture a strong sense of community—not only among the children, but also among their families and the project staff. Over these ten years, we have successfully built a supportive and engaged community that plays an active role in the success of Calcio Insieme.

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10 years of football and autismo revised in one book

Published on June 5, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: autismo.

The topics covered in the book “Football and Autism”, which I co-wrote with my collaborators, illustrate the methodology and results achieved through the integrated football program promoted by ASD Accademia di Calcio Integrato, made possible thanks to the support of AS Roma. The program has been active for over 10 years and represents an innovative educational model aimed at including young people with intellectual disabilities. Its main goal is to promote integration through sport, recognizing football as an educational, relational, and rehabilitative experience.

The project involves children and adolescents with and without disabilities, encouraging teamwork and the development of social skills. From the outset, a 32-hour training course was created to standardize the skills of the team, which includes youth football coaches, sports psychologists, speech therapists, and doctors.

The activities were designed to adapt to the individual abilities of the participants, particularly those with autism spectrum disorders, who show a wide range of motor and psychosocial skills. The program also includes one-on-one sessions when necessary, to ensure personalized interventions.

The annual results have demonstrated the method’s effectiveness, which has been validated through several scientific publications over the years. The project has also had a significant social impact thanks to collaboration with local schools and support teachers, enhancing the inclusion of participants in educational settings.

Families have also played an active role, finding in the training environment a space for sharing and mutual support.

The project has received support from the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), FISDIR, and the Lazio Regional Council, which helped strengthen and expand the initiative.

Over time, a true community has formed, focused on the well-being of young people with disabilities, showing how sport can be a powerful tool for integration.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you goes to everyone who, with dedication and commitment, has made the success of this unique experience possible.

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Dybala, Calcio Insieme and Laureus

Published on April 26, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: autismo.

Roma striker and World Cup winner with Argentina, Paulo Dybala, was today named a Laureus Ambassador. The 31-year-old Argentine footballer kicked off his new role with a visit to the Laureus Sport for Good program in Rome and took part in the 25th edition of the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid on Monday.

Dybala has won five Serie A titles with Juventus and the World Cup with Argentina in 2022. The Argentine star, who now plays for Roma, visited our project ‘Calcio Insieme’, supported by AS Roma, which uses football to help children with intellectual disabilities. Over 30 children and young people met the new Laureus Ambassador.

Dybala nuovo ambasciatore Laureus: "E' un grande onore"

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World Autism Awareness Day

Published on April 2, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: autismo.

Today, April 2nd, is World Autism Awareness Day. On this occasion, I want to recall when we started our soccer program for young people with autism, structured as a real soccer school.

Ten years ago, when we designed a soccer program for young people with intellectual disabilities, particularly autism, we could not have imagined the challenges we would face. We chose soccer for its popularity and accessibility—it can be played anywhere, even with improvised materials.

In the first year, our priority was ensuring the safety of the activity, also at the request of AS Roma, which funded the “Calcio Insieme” project and provided six coaches. We set up a closed and fenced field, removing obstacles. Our initial staff included 11 coaches, 5 sports psychologists, a speech therapist, a doctor, and the founders of ASD Accademia di Calcio Integrato. With 30 young participants aged 6 to 13, each child had almost one dedicated operator.

Today, we support 80 children with a staff of 23. Safety is further ensured by the constant presence of doctors for emergencies and the speech therapist for communication and crisis support.

Safety also means a personalized program tailored to the motor and psychological needs of the children, with targeted interventions for their overall well-being.

Before starting the training sessions, all staff members attended a 32-hour course on autism, intellectual disabilities, training methodologies, therapies, relationships between operators and young people, communication strategies, and crisis management.

This journey has made “Calcio Insieme” an innovative model of sports inclusion, providing children with a safe, stimulating environment suited to their needs.

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Football: A grow opportunity for you with autism

Published on March 31, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Giovani, Libri, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: autismo.

For a long time, it was believed that team sports were not suitable for young people with autism due to motor difficulties, low body awareness, hypersensitivity to stimuli, and challenges in team dynamics. However, recent experiences show the opposite: with the right approach, soccer can become an important opportunity for growth and well-being.

Unlike school or therapeutic activities, which are often structured and predictable, soccer takes place in a dynamic outdoor environment with ever-changing stimuli. Facing movement, interaction with teammates, and unexpected situations can initially be challenging, but with the support of coaches and psychologists, these young athletes learn to better manage their emotions and develop motor and social skills.

Child neuropsychiatrist Roberto Rossi highlights how, thanks to sports, many young people have made remarkable progress not only physically but also in communication and social relationships. Soccer provides them with a space for fun and fulfillment, fostering positive integration with peers and improving their quality of life.

Based on these principles, the Integrated Soccer Academy has been active for the past ten years, developing an innovative soccer teaching system for young people with autism. This approach is now documented in the book Autism and Soccer, edited by Alberto Cei and Daniela Sepio, with contributions from coaches, psychologists, speech therapists, and medical professionals.

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Book review; Calcio e Autismo

Published on March 29, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Libri, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: autismo.

Autismo e Calcio

Una nuova metodologia d’integrazione e d’insegnamento

Alberto Cei e Daniela Sepio (a cura di)

Torgiano: Calzetti & Mariucci

2025, 150 pagine

From the educational experience promoted by the Integrated Soccer Academy, an innovative technical integration model has emerged, illustrated in this manual. It is centered on activities aimed at the development of young people with intellectual disabilities. Specifically, the objective is to integrate young individuals with intellectual disabilities by promoting grassroots soccer as a relational and rehabilitative tool.

The proposed working model is organized into teams and features tailored educational and training methodologies developed by youth soccer experts, sports psychologists, speech therapists, and medical professionals.

An equally important aspect is the positive social impact that can be achieved through collaboration with schools, special education teachers, and, of course, families, who are encouraged to participate in their children’s training sessions, share experiences, and actively engage in the educational project.

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