Pallacanestro Monza Introduces Itself; President Perini Explains the Team’s Philosophy and Ambitions

Pallacanestro Monza has officially taken its first steps. On the day the new project was unveiled, President Sebastian Perini explained the philosophy that will guide the club, which was founded with the intention of uniting two elements considered equally important: a passion for basketball and a commitment to social causes.

The choice of name was no accident. At the heart of the project is, in fact, the desire to directly represent the city and, gradually, to bring Monza’s senior basketball teams to major stages as well.
“Monza, given its social, cultural, and economic context, is a city that deserves top-tier competition. It has earned its place in soccer, volleyball, and other sports. The goal is to bring these colors and this city—taking the time needed and without biting off more than we can chew—to a level worthy of Monza in basketball as well.”

The competitive journey will begin in Regional Division 1. Pallacanestro Monza has acquired the sports rights from Forti e Liberi, a club with which the new project remains strongly linked. The historic multi-sport club will, in fact, continue to serve as a cornerstone for youth programs and other sports.

“We’re practically the same family. Forti e Liberi remains a historic institution and a leading reference point for basketball as well, not to mention the club’s other sports, such as gymnastics and track and field. As for the senior team, however, we’ve decided to establish a new club, Pallacanestro Monza.”

The goal is to start with a solid foundation while, at the same time, building a team capable of being competitive right away. Perini made no secret of his desire to move up through the divisions, though without rushing the process. “Regional Division 1 is our first step. We’ve put together a team that we believe is very competitive, one that can represent the city in the best possible way and that can move up a division soon.”

But athletic success represents only one of the two pillars of the project. Perini placed great emphasis on the second aspect—charity—clarifying that this will not be a mere side initiative or a collaboration limited in time. “We are not a sports club that decides to embrace a charitable cause just for an initiative, for a year, or for a single project. These are all extremely worthy causes, but here, sports and charity come together.”
The partnership will be with the Maria Letizia Verga Foundation, of which Pallacanestro Monza aims to become a true sporting embodiment. A connection that, in the club’s intentions, will go far beyond mere support for individual initiatives.

“What we wanted to do—and what we will do one hundred percent—is to be an extension of the Maria Letizia Verga Foundation, its sports arm. For statutory reasons, we haven’t yet found a way to formally merge Pallacanestro Monza with the Foundation, but we want to be the sporting embodiment of the values that live within it.”

Perini finally explained why sports, in particular, can become a particularly effective tool for conveying this message. “Sports—and I’m probably stating the obvious here—are the ultimate embodiment of health. The athlete who scores a basket, in our case, is a model of health. Being healthy is certainly a merit, but it’s also a matter of luck.”