A screenshot of participants during the 6th Edition of Aspire Academy Global Summit Football Performance and Science 2020, held virtually.
Doha: The 6th Edition of Aspire Academy Global Summit Football Performance and Science 2020, held virtually, was applauded by participants as a resounding success topped off by inspirational talks from outstanding diverse speakers. In attendance were about 200 invited Aspire Fellows Community members from 50 leading clubs and 11 national federations.
Speaking during the Summit, Executive Director of the Summit, Professor Valter Di Salvo, said, “To meet like this online is a testament to Aspire Fellows Community’s strength, belief, and excellence that together we have nurtured and developed since we began in 2014.
“This year, the Summit has moved from roundtable to TED Talk format as we learn from inspirational speakers from different sports and fields. We will travel from football, fencing, athletics, eSports, and Spaceflight. Aspire Academy is a leader in sports performance and science in Qatar and beyond,” said Di Salvo.
“The 2021 edition will be entitled ‘Aspire Fellows Meet Other Sports’ and aimed at tapping into the benefits derived from the introduction of sharing the concept with expertise coming from other sports with the Fellows Community. Then the 2022 summit will go by the title, ‘Aspire Fellows In the World Cup’ as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 draws near,” he added.
The Summit’s first speaker Gianluca Vialli, a former Italy international, shared stories on personal history, talent, leadership, and failure. Speaking on his time as Chelsea manager and sack, he said, “For weeks l was depressed, cried and was angry and felt insecure. After a while and having spoken to a friend, l realized l needed to be honest with me and be self-analytical. I realized l had made mistakes and accepted them and learn from them,” said Vialli, who considers himself lucky to have transformed his passion into a career as a footballer.
Talking about his perspective on talent, Vialli said, “Talent is a gift, but it is not the most important aspect in a sportsman’s life - the process of nurturing that talent is more important. Work ethic, body language, attitude, energy, and effort require zero talent but are an essential part of transforming your passion into a job.”
Meanwhile, Paralympian fencer Bebe Vio (Beatrice Vio) talked about how she and fellow impaired athletes are out to inspire a new generation of athletes to find the strength that lies with everyone. The only wheelchair fencer in the world to compete with no arms and no legs, Bebe Vio shared on inner belief and drive her family has been her mainstay.
“40% of my body is technology, she said. “I started fencing at an early age of 5, and when l was 11 l was struck by meningitis, and while everything changed, my family didn’t and remain very important in my life and career.”
Not many would immediately see the link between an Astronaut and the other speakers. At this year’s event, NASA Astronaut Mike Fincke shared the importance of teamwork. He also highlighted the importance of strength and fitness in the life of Astronauts.
“Spaceflight is the most prominent team sport there is – it can be argued that it’s not football or any other such sport, l say so because it takes 15 nations working together to build the International Space-station. Spaceflight is like sport. There is lots of training and working together required to succeed. We go through things like staying fit by lifting weights in a weightless environment. The following values, keeping faith and trust, keeping moving forward, embracing a feedback culture, and managing one’s emotions, form the core to achieving success in Spaceflight “, said NASA Astronaut Mike Fincke.
