Parma, 18 December 2025 – A non-stop day of charity, inclusion and celebration. In short, this was the Gialloblu day that, with its colours, embraced Parma Calcio’s men’s and women’s Youth Sector. In the afternoon, gifts were delivered to the “Giocamico” Association, followed in the evening by the Youth Winter Party.

“Those of you who will work in the youth sector for many years will eventually see some players make it to the Tardini, while others you’ll follow in Serie A, Serie B or Serie C. These are players you may have coached every day, and you know just how much work and commitment go into achieving these results,” said Parma Calcio CEO Federico Cherubini.

“We are fortunate to have a strong local football community that we can continue to develop,” Cherubini added. “As a club, we are doing this and, in my opinion, we’re doing so to the best of our ability. Today we saw some important initiatives, and we are also heavily involved in social projects, thanks to the work you do and the commitment shown by our players.

“One thing that really sets Parma Calcio apart, and which you don’t often see elsewhere, is that we don’t recruit players at a very young age. Instead, we allow local clubs the space to grow and develop their own talent. Rather than signing children at five, six or seven years old, we build partnerships later on. In many other environments, professional clubs tend to dominate the grassroots scene, something we deliberately avoid.”

On the occasion of the Youth Winter Party at the Tardini Stadium, Federico Novari from the men’s youth sector and Ilenia Nicoli from the women’s youth sector were presented with a commemorative jersey in recognition of their loyalty to the Club, a value already celebrated during Parma’s 112th anniversary event. Martina Rainieri, Children Safeguarding Officer, was also honoured for overseeing the safeguarding education programme involving 444 boys and girls. Novari, Nicoli and Rainieri received their awards from Baschieri, Pangrazi and Notari respectively. Baschieri explained: “For us, it is a source of pride and honour to see young players grow and to accompany them on their journey to the First Team.” Pangrazi added:

“It is a privilege for me to be part of Parma Calcio, and of the Youth Sector in general. On occasions like this, I feel the need to thank the entire staff for the passion and daily commitment they bring. I believe this is the foundation for doing our work in the best possible way.”

Reflecting on values, emotions and much more, Mattia Notari said: “I’m 46 years old, and in recent days I’ve found myself thinking that it’s not just a number, but a phase of life. At times, this should prompt us to reflect on who we are, how we’re doing and how we relate to others. “In my role as director, Domenico and I often find ourselves questioning our mission here and how we interpret it on a daily basis. I realise how much emphasis we’ve placed on what in the United States is referred to as ‘off the pitch’. This year, in particular, we’ve taken an important journey focused on emotions. “We organised a series of regular meetings over four months, shared with Director Cherubini. Our aim, as directors, was to instil not only a culture of results and performance, as the Director often says, but also a culture of values. With today’s generations, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to look beyond technical gestures and truly understand how a young person is feeling, and why they may or may not behave in a certain way. This would be impossible without the knowledge and preparation we have. “We are fortunate to have a group of people who bring passion, dedication, commitment and expertise every single day. We wanted to close this Christmas introduction by recognising someone who is helping us grow, become more responsible, and understand how important it is to protect ourselves and others. Thank you, Martina Rainieri.”

The day dedicated to the Youth Sectors began in the early afternoon, when the Club donated Christmas gifts collected by Parma Calcio’s men’s and women’s youth sectors to the “Giocamico” Association, a non-profit volunteer organisation also active within the paediatric wards of the “Pietro Barilla” Children’s Hospital in Parma. The symbolic handover of toys and books, which took place at the Mutti Training Center, was attended by Mattia Notari, Head of the Men’s Youth Sector; Federico Pangrazi, Head of Grassroots Activities; Martina Rainieri, Men’s and Women’s Children Safeguarding Officer; players Mena Martinez Marlon and Nwajei Melvin (U20); and women’s players Dian Marta (U19) and Alessandra Bilotta (U17). Representing the “Giocamico” Association were President Corrado Vecchi and Vice President Barbara Ghinelli.