At IMAGINE Traduzioni, we believe that “transcending words” also means creating space for every person to express who they are.

In our work, this means respecting each team member’s individuality and their different perspectives, within a shared framework of rules and objectives. It is often the case that authentic magic occurs within a framework that allows individuals to be themselves.

And that is precisely why, for this “People Who Go Above and Beyond” feature, we decided to share the story of Alberto, Giulietta and PrimaGioco. Established in 2011, the association was founded around a simple – and, for that very reason, revolutionary – idea: to reposition play at the heart of sport: the unstructured kind that children once enjoyed in courtyards. It was a form of play that fostered the development of social skills in children, encouraging them to work together, express themselves, and adhere to rules and respect their peers.

It only takes a few minutes with Alberto and Giulietta to understand that PrimaGioco was not created simply to provide an alternative basketball playing experience. It was born from the principle of prioritising the well-being of children over that of athletes.

For many years, Alberto and Giulietta worked in competitive sport, appreciating its beauty, rewards and achievements. Then they began to notice who was being left out.

«We began our work in competitive sport, but we realised that there were different needs, because that approach excluded some of the children we wanted to include.»

The quieter children. Those who found things more difficult. Those who could not find their place in more competitive settings. It was while working in schools that they realised something important: when involving everyone, no one was disadvantaged. Quite the opposite.

«We realised that it gave a great deal to us, too.»

Therefore, a new perspective on sport began to emerge. Play once again became the starting point: natural, free and accessible. The kind of play that once filled courtyards, when children still had spaces to come together, work out their differences and return to play.

They were places with rules, but there was room for every child to be themselves. There was room for children who liked to run, the ones who preferred to observe, the creative ones, and the ones who needed a little more time. Play allowed every child to find their own way of being part of the group.

 

Perhaps that is exactly what we risk losing today: the opportunity to express ourselves without having to be the same as everyone else.

«Play is absolutely inclusive for everyone. Not everyone has to reach the same target, but everyone must have the opportunity to play as much as possible.»

This principle becomes even more powerful when inclusive basketball comes into play. It brings together young people with and without disabilities. Not as an exception. Not as a special occasion. Simply together.

«They play together and they enjoy it; all of them do. And something magical happens that goes beyond the court.»

Perhaps it is precisely that magic that best conveys the meaning of PrimaGioco’s work. When individuals are given the opportunity to express themselves, unexpected connections may emerge. Like the bond between two children who, during training sessions, continually seek each other out, each with their own difficulties and strengths. Together, they find a way to be part of the group that perhaps no one could have taught them. Because, ultimately, inclusion is not something we simply teach. It is something we experience.

Today, PrimaGioco involves around 400 children across its centres in the Modena lowlands, as well as 67 boys and girls with disabilities across eight teams.

These figures are undoubtedly significant. However, listening to Alberto and Giulietta, it becomes clear that the numbers themselves are not what truly matters to them. It is the single story involved behind those numbers: the child who finally decides to be a member of the team, the young person who develops a sense of belonging, and the parent who comes to understand their child in a new way.

«The aim should not be, ‘My child scores more baskets’, but rather, ‘My child is able to play with others and has improved within the group.’»

Play has immense value at any age. As Giulietta reminds us, quoting George Bernard Shaw:

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

And when we ask Alberto and Giulietta what “going above and beyond” means to them, the answer comes almost naturally.

«Going beyond the barriers we place around disability.»

 

Perhaps, though, PrimaGioco’s experience may offer a broader insight: going above and beyond means daring to question a model when it does not leave room for everyone, and to create a space where every person can express themselves, find their place, and feel a sense of belonging.

The freedom to express yourself does not mean ignoring the rules. It means having a space in which rules do not erase who we are. That is a principle we at IMAGINE wholeheartedly share.

Thank you, Alberto and Giulietta, and enjoy the game!
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PrimaGioco’s story does not end here. In one of the next features, we will also meet Alessandro – an internationally acclaimed photojournalist and a member of PrimaGioco – to discover how their commitment has gone beyond geographical borders, taking basketball all the way to the young monks of “Little Tibet”.

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