Brit Mott with Diane Goebel

Young athletes from Germany and Italy visited Plano this summer to compete in a volleyball tournament hosted by Excel Volleyball Club of Plano and organized through the International Volleyball Exchange. While the competition was stiff during play, the teams formed lifelong friendships and memories off the court.

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Excel’s international program began when Mario Barbaresso was on a business trip to Europe and happened upon a group of young German athletes riding their bicycles to volleyball practice. At that moment, he decided to bring his volleyball team abroad to compete and learn about a country's history and culture.

On July 6, Barbaresso rallied 23 Excel team members and 11 coaches and chaperones and departed for Venice, Italy, to meet their Italian sister team. The athletes trained and competed against each other and off the court, they visited a 10th-century castle and climbed a 4,000-foot high mountain in the Italian Alps. They also enjoyed beaches and shopping in Venice.

“I enjoyed trying new things, and learning how to do stuff the Italian way!" said Excel participant Devon Dawson. "I really feel that this was a life-changing experience.”

When it was time for the Excel team to return to the US, teams from Conegliano, Italy—SPES Volley—and from Dingden, Germany—Blau Weiss—joined them. The Italian group included 21 athletes and eight coaches/chaperones, and the German group included 14 athletes and six coaches/chaperones. All three teams arrived on July 16, and the Excel team spent the following days showing their sister athletes true Texas hospitality. They experienced a rodeo, enjoyed the local food, went shopping, and toured many area landmarks.

The International Volleyball Challenge finals were on July 23 at Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church in Allen. The tournament opened with a procession of the three participating countries, and the Plano Senior High School Planoettes performed during halftime. At the close of the tournament, the 15U Excel Elite International and 17U Blau Weiss Dingden were the champions.

According to Barbaresso, the level of play delivered by the teams was outstanding. "We have not only seen great athletes, we have also seen great teams playing with their own style. An international competition like the Excel International Challenge highlights cultural strength on and off the courts.”

German delegation chief, Dirk Kappermeyer, said, “We were all overcome by the days in Texas. I am convinced that the stay was very important for the girls' development. My greatest wish is that the girls will stay in contact and that they will meet again.”

Fabrizio Giuliani, Italian delegation chief, added, “Day after tomorrow, let’s start working on the next challenge!”

As the team boarded the flight for home in tears, Dawson said, “I love my Italian sister more than anything. I wasn’t quite ready to let her go today!”

Barbaresso summed the experience up by saying, “The last 20 days were about sharing…sharing our joy of discovering each other’s culture, sharing our homes, our families, our day-to-day lives, sharing our sports, our laughter, and our tears. We are now friends forever.”