The Montreal Impact’s new fitness coach may have an Italian name, and may have delighted his father after working for three years in Italy, but it’s Paolo Pacione’s mother that will be most proud of his latest endeavour as she hails from la belle province.
“My mom is from Trois-Rivières, so it’s nice to be able to come back,” said Pacione, who later admitted that it wasn't the main reason he chose to come to Montreal.
“Coming here was an easy decision for me. The passion, the striving for excellence with this club, there is no better place to be.”
Pacione has a Specialized Honours degree (BSc) in Kinesiology and Health Sciences from York University and has been working with the Canadian Soccer Association since 2007, including most recently with the men’s senior and Olympic teams in 2012.
“The most important thing for me is to be able to motivate and inspire the players,” added Pacione. “Everybody is different, so you have to be able to give the proper attention each deserves as they have different experiences. Each player is at a different level and you want to get the most out of each one.”
Pacione’s first day on the job was the same day the team traveled to Italy. Not a bad way to kick off his new career!
