Support for APRI's actions in 2023 helped train 110 athletes aged between 10 and 60
To encourage the practice of beach volleyball and training children and young people to take up the sport, Conasa Águas de Itapema has renewed its sponsorship of APRI - Associação Pró-Esporte Raiz Itapema - for 2024. Founded in 2019, the institution holds daily training sessions, from February to December, on Itapema’s Central Beach and the sand courts of the Vista Atlântico condominium in the Casa Branca neighborhood and of the Maria Linhares de Souza municipal school.
In 2023, the athletes won over 70 podiums in university, state, national, and international championships with the U15, U19, U21, and adult men’s and women’s teams. In addition, two athletes, Tiago Locks and Vinicius Müller Scoz, were called up to the Brazilian Under-21 national team. The opportunity also arose for Alanson Ballock as assistant coach of the 23/24 national team.
For four consecutive years, APRI has been considered the best training center in Santa Catarina and one of the best in Brazil. “Beach volleyball is synonymous with health, well-being and lots of positive energy. It’s in our blood. In 2024, we want to surpass the results of 2023 with a focus on training, experiencing the sport and opening up new opportunities for the participating athletes,” says Eder Luciano, president of the organization.
For Denis Grassi, superintendent of Conasa Águas de Itapema, support for the institution’s actions aligns with the company’s values of promoting health through the population’s quality of life and well-being. “The practice of sport, from childhood onwards, is highly beneficial for the formation of citizens, promoting inclusion, responsibility, commitment and healthy lifestyle habits,” he said.
The institution also organizes internal, state, and community championships. It promotes opportunities for talks in schools about the importance of sports in shaping human beings and values for personal and professional growth. It also organizes social actions to collect food to show athletes the importance of helping others.
New athletes are selected for the primary performance at the beginning of each year. Last year, 26 athletes took part. The organization’s plans for 2024 include improvements to the structure of the Training Center, participation in state, national, and international grassroots and adult competitions, promoting volleyball schools in municipal schools to discover new talents, and carrying out social work through workshops, championships, and collecting donations that integrate APRI and the Itapema community.
