Friendly American and Italian soccer match unites local community

VICENZA, Italy – Heat, humidity, and mosquitoes didn’t stop American Soldiers from throughout U.S. Army Garrison Italy and Italian soccer players from having fun during a friendly evening soccer match, July 23, at the Caldogno stadium just 10 minutes from Caserma Del Din where most of the Soldiers are based.

Before starting the game, both teams stood for the shared tradition of the playing of their national anthems. During the opening ceremony, the commander of 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, Lt. Col. Joseph Branch, and the mayor of Caldogno, Dr. Nicola Ferronato, shook hands and exchanged team flags and plaques.

In the first half of the game the American team led 1-0, but in the beginning of the second half the Calidonense team of Caldogno equalized the score to 1-1. By the second half, both teams scored another goal closing the game with a 2-2 tie. To break the tie, both teams went head-to-head in penalty kicks with the USAG Italy team scoring the winning goal.

Finally, both teams congratulated each other for a good game but they didn’t immediately go home. Instead, they sat together sharing American style food as one community.

Paolo Meda, a Caldogno council member, is also a garrison employee at the Directorate of Public Works on Caserma Ederle. Together with 2nd Lt. Reilly Tarbet, the assistant operations officer for 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, they coordinated with the Italian and American communities to organize the match.

Being a member of both communities gives Meda a unique opportunity to build on relationships with local communities and to build comradery between the Vicenza Military Community and Caldogno which is aligned with the 503rd Infantry Regiment for the garrison’s Community Alliance Partnership.

“This event is the beginning of getting to know each other better and to create a pleasant cultural exchange.” Meda said. “Food and fun bring us together. The Caldogno administration and its people want to make every American who lives here feel like they are part of our community.”

Being a soccer fan, Tarbet was happy to be involved with planning the event and enjoyed meeting the Mayor of Caldogno and learning about their community.

“It means a lot to me to organize this game. I grew up playing soccer and being able to connect my community to the Italian community through this amazing sport was such an honor,” Tarbet said. “I look forward to continuing to build a relationship with the community and possibly playing in a game myself in the future.”

The 173rd Airborne Brigade Commander, Col. Joshua Gaspard, appreciated the opportunity for his Soldiers to interact with the local community.

“While Italy might not be where we are from, it is our home. The soccer game in Caldogno is the perfect example of the greater Vicenza area welcoming and embracing us into the community. We are thankful to be part of such a wonderful and beautiful place,” said Gaspard.