THE UNDER 16, A GROUP THAT GROWS TOGETHER

The growth path of young players at AC Monza also passes through the Under 16 category: a constantly evolving team that works every week with the goal of improving day by day and proudly representing the Club’s colors.

The Under 16 championship has always been one of the most demanding in the Italian youth football landscape. It is therefore a very important testing ground for players who begin to face quality, pace and intensity increasingly similar to senior football.

Throughout the season, the team has approached every single match with determination and a desire to challenge themselves against any opponent.

The daily work of the staff, led by coach Michele Magrin, is focused on the complete development of the players, not only from a technical and tactical standpoint, but also from a human, personal and character perspective.

“It is rewarding to sit on the bench at kickoff and see the boys on the field making decisions independently based on the principles we have been working on since the start of the season. This demonstrates both footballing and personal growth, individually and as a team, and it makes us truly proud. The journey we began in August is based on continuous interaction with the players, always in a constructive and participatory way, to instill confidence, nurture passion, self-esteem and teamwork through an honest, sincere and non-judgmental approach”, said the coach.

“The protagonists are and must always be the players: our mission is to bring out the best in each of them so they can feel valued and express themselves to the fullest. That’s why mutual trust is essential”, he continued. “We strongly believe in every one of our players. Respect generates commitment and only in this way can anyone grow and raise their level: trust means knowing you can make mistakes without being labeled, but instead corrected; it means entrusting players with our professionalism; it also means being guides and role models to learn from. This approach is producing significant results: players on the field have improved exponentially in attitude and focus since the beginning of the year”.

Training sessions and matches thus become fundamental learning moments within a development project shared across the entire Youth Academy of the Club.

“Through the methodology provided by the Club, which we consciously rely on, we organize training sessions with clear and achievable objectives. We passionately take care of every detail to give value to each session, constantly interacting with the players, explaining the reasons behind every action and decision. We aim to prepare our athletes to positively face, in the right ways and at the right times, everything that happens on and off the field”, Magrin explained.

“We now see players who no longer think individually but relate as a team, beginning to communicate both verbally and non-verbally. Our players are learning to make the right decisions based on what the game, the moment and the group require, to run for their teammates, support each other in difficulties, and celebrate together in moments of joy. We are working with young people who are less afraid to communicate with adults and to express their ideas and emotions. The key is maintaining maximum mental focus in every situation on the field so that the guiding principles we work on can take root, shaping better players and better people”, he added.

“We are aware that patience is needed in a developmental process like the one we have undertaken: the ultimate goal is to provide the players with as many tools as possible to handle any football-related or life situation they may face. To achieve this, we adults, including myself, must not only be coaches but also educators, full of passion, dedication and awareness that we are working to foster the growth of young people”, concluded coach Magrin.

There is therefore a strong desire to continue working with care, diligence and dedication to build the foundations for a future in biancorosso: “I have been part of this wonderful Club for six years now and for me Monza has become a family. After six seasons, I feel the responsibility to pass on the values of this Club to the new arrivals, because representing these colors means honoring a great history that we are all writing together every day. This year the team faced some difficulties, but it is precisely from setbacks that we learned to grow, to get back up and to become the team we are today”, said Under 16 captain Federico Bognetti.

Alessandro Terna added: “Regardless of results, this season represents a year of growth for the whole team, both from a football and human perspective. The most important goal we set ourselves is to improve every day, training with commitment and seriousness to become better players and better people. We give our all in every match to prove our worth until the very end, always leaving the field with our heads held high”.

“We would like to thank our teammates and all the staff, who are always kind and available for any need, and we are also very grateful to the Club, which provides us daily with everything we need to train at our best so we can pursue our dream”, the two players concluded.

CLICK HERE to discover the full weekend schedule of the AC Monza's Youth Academy.