18 Dec Zona Press: basketball made in Rome
1) Hi guys! Let’s start from the beginning, what do you do in your life and how did you become passionate about basketball?
Simone: I am a graphic designer and sports illustrator. I have worked for several years for a publishing house and sports magazines. I have just gotten the license as team manager and referee for national and regional championships issued by FIP. I fell in love with basketball at elementary school, while I was having my break, I tried to shot a ball of aluminum foil in the basket. I have played in the AICS Championship in Latium, doing a low-post and having small pastries at the end of the game. We hope to come back to practice soon.
Edoardo: In ordinary life, I work as an attorney and I study to become a lawyer. I work as contributor for Basket Roma, a sports club, based in Rome, I worked as a radio journalist for Virtus Roma and I write about basketball, because it makes me feel relaxed. I have become passionate about basketball, since I am not tall, slim, untalented, ball handler, I realized that it could be the right sport for me.
Emanuele: I have an unconditionally love for basketball and as a graduate of Communication, I have worked for years as a basketball journalist, taking care of press office for events, writing for newspapers (press and websites), delighting in hosting radio reports of Virtus Roma in the past and radio shows. I belong to the “institutional” side of basketball, taking care of press office of Regional Committee of Fip Lazio and working as a team manager for the National Youth Team of Basketball Federation. At the same time, I work at elementary school as a fitness teacher and as a basketball trainer for adults and kids.
Paolo: I have worked for ten years as a informatic technician, but I have always been passionate about sports in general. Basketball is the first sport that I have practiced and with whom I have built an obsessive relationship: since the first time I have dribbled, at 8 years, we have never been apart!
2) You launched “Zona Press”, what is it about and how did you come up with this idea?
Simone: Zona Press was born from the idea of four friends: the necessity to relate basketball, personalities and stories, in a qualitative way. We trust in the opportunity to combine an appropriate and well-prepared graphic design, too often forgotten by the communication department of teams of all categories. And a well-written text, that examines several themes, sometimes jokingly, other times seriously, and it can goes beyond the digital speed that frequently leads to handle argument passively and without interest, in order to guarantee an unceasing storytelling.
Edoardo: It was born from the melting of four passionate friends that meet each other at Centocelle to take a coffee. We deal with basketball, relate Italian and Rome basketball in a way that may be interesting. The truth is that it allows to express our passion freely.
Emanuele: It was born in a simply way: on a Sunday in front of a coffee. Zona Press is not A website about basketball, it is THE website about basketball. A place to look for a different idea of a sport that has millions of sides. If it is true that synthesis in everything in life, our claim and logo are very clear: an immersion in basketball.
Paolo: Zona Press is a website that relates a panorma about basketball within national borders. The project was born on a rainy morning in a bar at Centocelle. A gathering of 4 people who share a passion for basketball and the will to relate it.
3) What are the goals of this new website?
Simone: The goals of the website are showing to everyone stories of people, insiders, athletes and what turns around the court, from the Serie A to the Minors. The aim is boosting visibility of realities, not well known or ignored so far, but that until proven otherwise establish basketball in Italy.
Edoardo: Telling something that we hope people will like and at the same time make us happy while we are writing.
Emanuele: We are four guys who know what they want, the subject, have worked for years in the the industry and been dying to give a personal point of view of basketball. A perspective, that in this case, it is not only a report of events, but in-depth analysis, interviews, discussions. After all, since no one of us has been able to leave his mark on the court as a kid, we will try to do it behind a keyboard as adults!
Paolo: We would like to highlight athletes too often excluded compared to the stars overseas. The aim is offering interesting content without falling into triteness.
If you want to know the story of Simone Colongo, check out here his interview.
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