Diario di Bordo - TWISA day 3

Diario di Bordo – TWISA DAY 3

Milton, Canada – 7 August 2025

Written by Deborah Salvatori Rinaldi – TWISA Brand Ambassador

Yesterday in Milton it was 23 degrees. Like every morning, the usual long line of girls stood in front of the coaches to say hello and organize the groups: it’s a moment I absolutely love—simple, yet full of respect and discipline.

We started with activation through games, then moved on to analytical technique and technique in space. At 10:30 we took a break, during which we snapped a few funny photos together. I always like to remind everyone that yes, we’re here to teach competitiveness, professionalism, and our way of seeing football, but also to have fun and leave these girls with a beautiful, light memory. During the break, coffee is a must: our colleagues or the players’ parents always bring it to us with special care, because they know that for us Italians, it’s a true obsession.

Today I discovered one of their rituals during shooting drills: when they’re divided into two groups, if one misses, the other teases them with a little chant and dance. In the final part of the session, we introduced themed games and matches. We also taught them the celebration of our striker Pirone: “Fly like Vale” with the little airplane. And I promise you, seeing that celebration repeated even in Canada was contagious. The girls were more tired today than on previous days, but their smiles said everything.

The coaches confirmed that they’ve seen clear improvement in communication on the field and in opening up space during play. Important signs, considering that we’ve only been working together for three days.

And there’s something else that struck me: collaboration. At the end of the session, the girls from the camp spontaneously helped tidy up all the training equipment. Balls, cones, bibs—each one knew exactly what to take and where to put it. It may seem like something obvious, but it isn’t. These gestures reflect education, respect, and team spirit just as clearly as a goal does. Respect for older figures, for staff members, for those who prepare the field and for those who have to pack everything up at the end.

But today I also have to tell you about the after camp. By now, we from Ternana Women and the Lazio guys have become part of one big family. We spent the afternoon with the directors of Milton Magic, but not only them—coaches and staff were there too. They welcomed us into their home, letting us experience their culture 100%. It was beautiful to discover that the so-called “Italian way of working”—where decisions, meetings, and the best ideas are born around a table, sharing time and conversation—is not exclusive to us. Even here, in a country where projects are big and structured, everything still revolves around people. And that’s what makes the difference.

We ended up around the fire making the famous marshmallows with biscuits and chocolate—the ultimate convivial moment, straight out of a movie.

What I really want to share with you, though, is their daily culture of sport. The staff’s children spent the entire day moving from one activity to another: one girl went to soccer practice, one boy returned from golf after lunch, another went to golf in the evening but coaches the little kids’ soccer team in the morning, another plays soccer but walks around with an American football, and as soon as he sees a hoop he switches to basketball. Here, sport is part of life—just as natural as breathing.

And there’s another aspect that fascinated me: the Italian roots of people overseas. In the living room, we played music together—two guitars, a mandolin, tambourines, maracas. We sang, but above all we listened to Italian songs with the head of the family, who passed this passion down to children and grandchildren without ever detaching himself from his roots, even while raising a new generation of Canadians. It was a special moment, where sport and music blended together without borders.

The moments we shared today are indescribable. Days like this truly leave a mark.