Coming to America

Gianmaria Fiore has taken full advantage of his second chance to play soccer, becoming a leader on and off the pitch for the Georgia Gwinnett College men’s soccer team this fall. 

The Napoli, Italy, native thought his days of dribbling a soccer ball at the end of his feet were over after a playing for low-level amateur teams in his home country.

However, a friend suggested that Fiore participate in a tryout tournament in nearby Rome being attended by college coaches from across the United States. At stake were scholarships for players with strong playing skills.

Fiore took advantage of the situation, being named the tournament’s most valuable player and conversations commenced with GGC assistant coach Stephen Magennis. A scholarship offer soon followed.

“Seven months later I was on a plane headed to the United States,” he says, grinning while reflecting upon his international journey to become a Grizzly. “GGC was the one school who inspired me the most. Coach Magennis was nice when he visited me in Rome and he communicated with me differently than the other college coaches. He cared for me as a person and was very friendly. He made me feel secure.”

The journey to Lawrenceville came in August 2018.

“I had never left Napoli, a little city where everybody knows everyone. My English wasn’t sharp. I arrive in Atlanta and see big streets, big highways and a huge airport. It was scary,” states Fiore.

Teammates and GGC alumni helped make the transition easier. Knowing what Fiore was experiencing were former players Herb Sevilla and Jumar Oakley and current teammates Diego Milessi and Juan Cruz Parisi Sitjar. They provided much needed helping hands – on campus and in practice.

Fiore has worked hard academically while pursuing a degree in psychology, strong enough to be named to the Director of Athletics Honor Roll for achieving a 3.0 or higher grade point average for past academic semester.

Support has also come from halfway across the globe.

On the pitch, the junior has been a fixture along the backline of a GGC defense that’s had six shutouts so far this fall. That has helped the team have a 7-4-1 record and No. 11 NAIA national ranking. 

Fiore opened eyes when he found the back of the net as a freshman in the team’s 4-0 victory at Southeastern University (Florida) in the 2018 NAIA Opening Round. The next season he was named the most valuable player of the 2019 Association of Independent Institutions championship tournament, won by the Grizzlies. Then last spring he earned second NAIA All-America team honors.

Overall, he has scored eight career goals and had four assists while starting 52 of 55 matches of the past four seasons.

DeCou says Fiore has all of the physical traits and skills that first caught the program’s eye in Italy. 

“Gianmaria is passionate and motivated. He has a drive to succeed. Technically, he can hit a big diagonal ball (across the pitch). There are not many people in the country who can hit a ball like he does from center back,” the coach stated. “His size (6-foot-3) makes him a threat in the air, winning the ball in nearly every situation. He’s definitely an All-American center back.”

Fiore smiled when he informed about DeCou’s assessment of his play, adding “I really love sending the long ball to make that pass to set up my teammates. My job as a defender is to make the goalkeeper’s job easy. I’ve done my job if he has had a stress-free game.”

And, there’s no time ahead, including this year’s Continental Athletic Conference championship tournament (November 12-13 in Lawrenceville) and a possible appearance in the NAIA tournament. 

“These years have gone by so fast. I have grown up so much during this time of my life,” said Fiore.

DeCou agrees, “I’m assured that Gianmaria will be ready for the next step in life. He will excel in whatever he decides to do with the opportunities provided him.”

Just like the one that brought him to Georgia Gwinnett College.