In the picture: me (on the right) with Abe

                   Laboriel Jr.,Sir Paul McCartney's drummer!      

                   (io , a destra, con il batterista di Sir Paul 

                   McCarteny, Abe Laboriel Jr.!) 

Who am I?

I'm an Italo-Canadian, born and raised in

Canada (I lived there for 30 years).  I’m presently working as a teacher, interpreter, translator and coach.  I say coach because I’ve coached both women’s and men's soccer since 1985.  I also offer assistance as a “personal coach” (they say that I'm rather good at motivating people). 

I’ve been in Italy since 1989.  I moved to Rome for two reasons: one was a job at the U.S. Embassy (as “Trade Marketing Specialist”) and the other one was because right around the corner there was going to be the 1990 FIFA World Cup, so I couldn’t absolutely miss that great sporting event.  I not  only took in the World Cup but I was also present at the opening match in Milan between Maradona’s Argentina and Milla’s Cameroon; matches in Udine; the semi-final match between Italy and Argentina in Naples on July 3^rd— so far THE saddest day of

of my life!—and also the W. Germany-Argentina final in Rome) but I also worked as Korea’s interpreter in the small and quaint town of Udine (pop. 100,000).

I’m fluent in English, Spanish, French and I’m currently  studying Russian.  I have a BA in Spanish and French literature and an MA in Hispanic Studies from the University of Manitoba and Queen’s University, Canada.  Given my passion for the world of sports, I also graduated with a Master’s in the sociology of sports and sports management from the University of Leicester, UK, in 2002.   I’m also a qualified UEFA “B” license coach.  I’ve taken a total of eight different coaching courses for soccer, including  psychology for youth soccer through the English FA.

I also completed in 2009 a "Life Coaching" course through the ACS Distance Education institute in England (www.acsedu.co.uk).