M.R. Sport dei fratelli Marconi asd (M.R. Sport asd) is a sport organization affiliated with the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) and the Italian Swimming Federation (FIN).
The club organizes diving courses for able-bodied and autistic boys and girls from the age of 4 up to master divers. Throughout the year it also organizes events for its members and their families. All activities of the association are carried out by experienced coaches and volunteers, with the support – in some occasions – of athletes’ families.
The association includes a team composed of 200 athletes, either agonists or amateurs, divided by age categories. M.R. Sport asd is the association in Italy with the higher number of members under 15 years of age.
As mentioned, during the years M.R. Sport asd has developed several areas of activities.
Sport and disability
M.R. Sport asd realized, in collaboration with the Association ANPeT, sports activities with children with autism. The activities, started in 2011, have involved young people, both Italian and European, within international activities.
This project has the aim to follow people with autism / disability’ during the growth phase of live, from early adolescence to adult age, by improving a series of sport initiatives , aimed at influencing various aspects of a person quality life such as physical and mental health, social development, the degree of personal welfare.
“We wish to offer people with autistic troubles and disabilities various means to identify and improve their skills, knowledge and skills that can allow them the social and emotional participation, in relation with their skills.”
The possibility of a social position does not belong to charitable concessions, it is rather a means of self-expression which is within the rights of a Person, including also those with disabilities. For this reason, since 2011, starting date of collaboration, ANPeT and M.R. Sport asd have promoted activities to start sports and real sports activity directed to children with problems of autism and disabilities' mental and physical, in order to give them the possibility to assimilate new skills, not only motor, but also empathetic, communicative and social.
Events
Since 2009, M.R. Sport asd has organized “Diving International Trophy Niccolò Campo”, International Trophy youth dips, also including in the calendar an official competition for young divers with mental disabilities: ”Dips Trophy Adapted”. The competition supported by “FISDIR” it was held in the presence of observers of the Italian Paraolympic Committee, which is considering the request made by M.R. Sport asd to include the Sport Diving among Paralympic sports.
During the latest editions the event has shown the participation of 300 athletes from various Italian towns and 200 foreign athletes coming from 15 European countries. The event was realized thanks to the participation of many volunteers and the support of athletes’ families, who quite often host athletes and families coming from abroad and from other Italian towns.
Stage Activities
M.R. Sport asd organizes summer stages at the Federal Center of Diving of Trieste where young athletes are hosted free of charge by the families of athletes of the same city. Similarly summer stages are made in Rome for athletes of Trieste and other cities, always through a mechanism of hospitality au pair. This is because during the training of young people, personal, character and sport, it is important “not always play at home”.
In connection with the periods of stages, M.R. Sport asd organizes training courses for young instructors or former athletes who intend to specialize as coaches dips. The courses are made of a theoretical part, practice, and assistance by federall technicians already operating.
– Organization of summer weekly stages for italian and foreign master athletes.
– MR Sport since 2014 organizes two weeks of stage for dips for girls and boys at the Sport Plymouth Center(GB).
Stay with host families and attend english school every morning and afternoon workout. The purpose of the holiday/study is to develop a cultural exchange to be carried in the coming years.
Cultural activities and international exchange.
Sports activities are, for M.R. Sport asd, an occasion also to arrange encounters between people of different cultures and analysis of social issues, with particular attention to the relationship between sport and disability and to the role of volunteering.