My passion for volleyball started when I was just a child. Ever since I was a child, I have always loved moving and venting my energy through sport. When I watched my first volleyball game, I was fascinated by the dynamism of the game and the team working together to achieve a common goal. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be part of it.

Volleyball has been a key part of my growth. It taught me important life lessons, such as the importance of teamwork, perseverance and stress management. Ever since I was young, I have learnt to deal with defeats and to accept that you cannot always win. These experiences have strengthened me and taught me how to overcome obstacles in life.

Furthermore, volleyball has helped me develop personal discipline. I had to train constantly to improve my technical and physical skills. This taught me the value of hard work and determination, helping me to manage my time effectively, balancing training with my studying and other tasks.

The benefits of sporting activities

Practising sport is one of the healthiest activities a person can do. As a matter of fact, there are many benefits associated with regular physical activity, both for the body and the mind.

The first, and perhaps the most obvious, benefit of doing sport is the improvement of physical health.

Regular physical exercise can help prevent many diseases. This is because physical activity increases blood flow, improving metabolism and helping to keep our immune system strong.

In addition, sport can help increase muscle strength and flexibility, thus helping to prevent injuries and improve the overall quality of life. At the same time, exercise can help reduce stress on joints, thus improving their long-term health.

But the benefits of doing sport do not only involve our bodies. Physical exercise can also have a positive impact on our mental health.

For example, physical activity can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve your mood and increase self-confidence. This is because it stimulates the release of endorphins in the brain, which are the so-called “happiness hormones”.

Practising sport can also help us sleep better, regulating our body’s circadian rhythms, improving our ability to fall asleep and stay asleep during the night. Better quality sleep, in turn, can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve concentration and memory, and increase our energy and ability to focus during the day.

Eventually, it can help improve socialisation and interpersonal relationships. Participating in sports activities or fitness groups allows you to meet new people and build positive relationships based on shared interests and activities, contributing to an individual’s mental health and sense of community.

In conclusion, there are many benefits associated with practising sports, both for our bodies and our minds. Regular physical exercise can help prevent disease, improve physical and mental health, increase socialisation and improve overall quality of life. Therefore, it is important to try to integrate physical activity into our daily routine, even if only with small changes such as walking instead of driving or using the stairs instead of the lift.

Meet the author

Vittoria Alice Piani

Hi, my name is Vittoria Alice Piani, I am 25 years old and I am a professional volleyball player.
I’m a player with the Imoco Volley Conegliano team, Italy and World Cup champion!

I started playing volleyball when I was only 14 years old, and I haven’t stopped since then.
In 2015 I won the gold medal in the Under-18 World Cup with the youth national team and in the following years I played with various teams in both the A2 and, especially, A1 leagues.