Lesgo USA and clubs looking beyond: why Italian clubs need to open up to the American college world
From campus to the sidelines: a project created to offer kids an experience that combines sports, study and broader horizons. And that today dialogues directly with Italian clubs to grow athletes and people.
Lesgo USA is a reality that organizes sports study vacations in collaboration with top US colleges, first and foremost Penn State University (Behrend Campus). The goal is simple and at the same time ambitious: to allow Italian girls and boys to experience two weeks as student-athletes on a real U.S. campus.
The experience brings together English classes with university professors, training led by American coaches, access to high-profile facilities and campus life, with cultural activities in the area. It is not a packaged tour: it is a real-life immersion in the American university standard tailor-made for participants.
Leading the project is a team with complementary expertise. Marco Vecellio, co-founder and owner of MV Group, with College Life Italia is among the national references for sports scholarships in the US. Samuele Maffizzoli, co-founder and CMO, brings experience in professional sports derived from years in UFC and sports media projects. Pietro Sellan, CEO of Lesgo USA and in College Life Italy responsible for swimming and water polo, is the operational bridge with college aquatics programs.
The first three camps: five sports, over 250 kids
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From the very first editions, Lesgo USA has chosen a multi-sport approach that now embraces basketball, swimming, water polo, volleyball and tennis. In three years, more than 250 children between the ages of 13 and 19 have participated. Word of mouth among families, extensive marketing among clubs, and the retention of those who return tell the value of the experience more than any slogan.
The relationship with Penn State: co–planning, not “hooking up“
Partnership with Penn State University (Behrend Campus) is at the heart of the initiative.The program is set up in conjunction with‘the university, combining college-style training and an educational proposal that helps kids get their bearings, improve their English, and measure themselves against the rhythms and habits of American college life.
2025: Azzurra Basketball paves the way. And new clubs arrive
In 2025 Azzurra Basketball brought five athletes to the Behrend Campus, ushering in the team group format. The impact was immediate: enthusiasm, personal growth, greater autonomy in daily routines.
Aquatica for swimming, V7 Volleyball and Triestina Volleyball followed, with other teams about to join, a sign of an increasingly concrete focus on paths that combine sports and education.
Because it is decisive that societiesa embrace the project
Why should a club embrace this project? To look beyond their own league without distorting themselves.Competing with a different context reinforces language, responsibilityà and sports culture: punctuality, attention to detail, team spirit and a healthy competitiveness that accompanies the athlete even upon return.
Benefits for clubs: what really changes
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There is also a return to identity. Tackling such astrong experience helps clubs strengthen their relationship with families and dialogue with those seeking opportunities with an international scope. It’s a way to raise the bar for the youth sector, on the field and off.
Operationally, the pathway is turnkey: travel, campus lodging, medical insurance, sports and educational activities, and moments of university life are integrated with a dedicated contact person. Communication is part of the value: pictures and testimonials give back a sense of the work done and become the heritage of the club community.
The gaze is now on tomorrow. In 2026 the goal is to reach 100 participants and, given the high demand, increase the camp to two full weeks at the Behrend Campus.
In parallel, Lesgo USA is working to bring colleges to Italy with tours, scrimmages, and joint activities-a two-way movement that makes the ecosystem truly circular.
Looking further is (finally) a concrete choice
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In the end, it all comes back to the same idea: looking beyond is a concrete choice. With reliable partners, a stable relationship with the‘universityand a proposal that holds together sport, study and personal growth, Lesgo USA offers Italian clubs a‘real opportunity to take a step forward. Take kids where they can imagine more, and bring that “more” back to the gym, every day.
