When Heitor Pinotti graduated from South Fort Myers High School earlier this month, it didn’t take long for the former Wolfpack soccer standout to start chasing his dream.
As his classmates were turning their tassels June 4 at Germain Arena, USA Soccer Jerseys Pinotti was on his way to Costa Rica with hopes of turning heads.
Carrying aspirations of playing soccer as a professional, Pinotti began a three-week tryout last week with La Liga Deportiva Alajaluense (LDA), a pro team that plays in Costa Rica’s premier division. chelsea jersey A handful of players from the team are playing for Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Pinotti, a native of Sao Paolo, Brazil, whose family moved to Fort Myers in 2005, is practicing with LDA two times a day in the 18,000 seat Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium.
“I love the challenge of mentally preparing for each session,” barcelona jersey Pinotti wrote in an email to the Daily News. “I give 110 percent when I am training, practicing and playing and want the coaches to recognize my commitment to the team, the game and my training.”
Regarded as a skilled playmaker with a scoring touch during his four years at South, Pinotti compiled 31 assists and 14 goals in 17 games as a senior. Initially he planned to play in college. Last year he verbally committed to South Florida, brazil soccer jersey however, he said he elected to pursue the pro ranks because full scholarship offers didn’t materialize.
Last week Pinotti tasted game action for the first time in Costa Rica when he played midfield against LDA’s U-18 team.
“Because all the coaches were watching the game, argentina soccer jersey all the players were obviously trying to be noticed and didn’t pass the ball much,” Pinotti explained. “However, I performed well when I did get my chances and did what I was supposed to do. The coordinator told me the coaches had a good impression and liked what they saw, but were going to continue evaluating me for the balance of the trial.”
Pinotti’s tryout was arranged by the husband-wife team of Luis Santos-Zanelli and Anessa Allen Santos. john terry chelsea jersey Luis, a former head soccer coach at Ave Maria University and Palmetto Ridge, is Pinotti’s manager and trainer. Anessa, a Naples attorney, serves as Pinotti’s agent. The couple attended the first two days of the practices.
“We wanted to make sure he got settled in,” Anessa said. “(LDA) is by far the best of the best in Costa Rica. Our mouths just hung open when they had him out there training with the team.”
If the LDA route doesn’t pan out, Pinotti will have other options to consider.
“We obviously are pulling for him to be signed or loaned,” pique spain jersey Anessa said, “but if they aren’t ready to sign him, Luis and I already have several backup plans in place including other teams in Costa Rica, Panama, Peru and potentially Mexico.”
Regardless of the tryout’s outcome, Pinotti’s appetite to be a professional soccer player won’t wane anytime soon.
“This is the life that I’ve always wanted and it’s the reason why I have left everything behind in order to pursue and achieve my dream,” he stated.
No comments:
Post a Comment