Playing, winning, but above all giving your all. For almost 30 years of his career these were the goals of Fabio Bencivenga, Italian waterpolo star that Waterpolo Development has chosen as testimonial of the 12th edition of HaBaWaBa International Festival, starting on June 16th at Bella Italia & EFA Village in Lignano Sabbiadoro (Italy). Whether playing a Champions League final or the key game to avoid the relegation of an 2nd division team, the “Dragon” – that’s his nickname – has always tried to get the most out of himself and to leave his mark. His spirit, therefore, embodies one of the key values of HaBaWaBa world: the will to fight and to sacrifice for your teammates, that is fundamental to achieve any goal. Due to his attitude, Bencivenga won 5 Italian Leagues, 3 Champions Leagues, one Cup Winners Cups, two European SuperCups and he participated in four Olympics, gaining the bronze medal at Atlanta ’96.
Bencivenga playing for Arechi (FABIO BARBIERI IMMAGINI). In the main picture, Bencivenga playing for Italian Settebello
With the same spirit Bencivenga has come back playing this season, after 3 years of inactivity, being decisive at 43 years for Salerno team Arechi, which has remained in Italian 2nd division. “Someone said that I was crazy, but this season I have achieved a double success: I got back in shape and I have avoided relegation of Arechi, that is a club that deserves respect because of its organization and its ambitions. Now I’m ready for HaBaWaBa, an event based on a philosophy I deeply agree: to make kids passionate about waterpolo”. Bencivenga pursues the same goal with Aqavion, the Neapolitan club he is sports director of. Last June, Aqavion won the U11 tournament at the HaBaWaBa International Festival. “It was really nice, it was a boost to our work. At Aqavion we are commit ourselves to spread waterpolo, our goal is to create an academy that can also be a reference point for clubs playing the major leagues”.
The first step is to make kids fond of waterpolo just like Bencivenga was at the age of 11, when he fell in love with our sport. “I had been swimming since the age of 4, I was good at it and I wanted to be a swimmer. However when I was 11, my club Volturno pushed me towards waterpolo. Having a good swimming base, some things were easy for me, while I was not able to do others. But I’ve always been stubborn, so I started training harder and with time I begun to improve: when I saw my progress, I couldn’t help to play waterpolo. I enjoyed training and seeing the results of my work, so I fell in love with waterpolo”. Bencivenga made his debut in senior waterpolo when he was a bit more than a child. “When I was 14 Bruno Cufino, who was Caserta team coach, let me play in 2nd division as centerforward. Of course, I was already 1.90 cm, but I will never stop thanking Bruno for having trusted me: young players should have the chance to mature in today’s waterpolo too”.
Bencivenga is the current sports director of Aqavion club
Beginning this way, the sports history of Bencivenga has then continued at Catania, Posillipo, Pro Recco, Acquachiara and of course with the Italian Settebello. Bencivenga retired twice (in 2012 and 2015) and twice he returned to play, in order to feel again the thrills that only sport can give. “The three Champions League won with the Posillipo and the parade at Atlanta ‘96, my first Olympics, are unforgettable memories. However if I think about an emotion related to waterpolo, the first one I get is the joy I felt few days ago with Arechi, the hugs with my teammates. It may seem like a minor achievement compared to others I got, but truth is that only sport gives these emotions, only sport creates this kind of bond with other people. When they’ll grow up, the young players of HaBaWaBa will still feel connected to those who were their teammates. And they will also learn a life lesson: no one is a born champion, everybody can become a champion. Commiting yourself is the only way to improve and to reach your goals”.
