Corriere del Ticino - “Refereeing is my passion, but the future lies in professional sports”
On the eve of his 11th season in the National League, the umpire talks about sacrifices, pressures, and ambitions.
Alex Dipietro, you’re about to begin your eleventh season as a referee in the National League. Do you still feel the same excitement as you did on your debut?
Every year is different; every season has its own story. What doesn’t change is the desire to improve. It’s not enough for me to simply repeat what I’ve done in the past. I’m determined to constantly make progress, to keep getting better. There’s no point in hiding it: we referees are a team, but at the same time we’re individuals, and as such we have our own aspirations. Each of us wants to referee the Spengler Cup or the playoff finals. It’s a healthy drive that pushes us to be ever more prepared to do our job to the best of our ability.