On Saturday it was pouring down buckets of rain in Perugia. Parking lots, roads, and underpasses in the lower city were flooding. A tournament for piccoli amici (the level Micah plays at) at Don Bosco was cancelled, so suddenly my afternoon was open. I decided to try to get to Castel Rigone to see their home game vs. Nuova Cosenza.

Unfortunately, it was 1:30, I had no car (the rental office had closed), there’s no public transport, the town was nestled in mountains 30 min. away, the game was to start at 3:00, and it was still pouring.

So I called our friend Marzia, because she knows everyone. She’s an absolute magician. Several calls and texts later — negotiating time, cost, and location — I bought an umbrella from the street vendors who materialize in Perugia when it rains, and waited outside. A white Citroen pulled up at…

This past Sunday, Castel Rigone (population406), playing in the Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, defeated Messina (population 242,684), 2-0. Seven years ago, Messina was playing in the top level of Italian soccer (Serie A). Seven years ago, Castel Rigone finished twelfth in the ‘Eccellenza Umbra‘ regional league and barely missed demotion into the seventh level of Italian soccer.

I first learned about Castel Rigone Calcio when I went to a Wednesday practice for one of our boys at Don Bosco. One of their youth squads practices once a week on the artificial turf at Don Bosco, because several players on the team come from Perugia, and it saves those families some driving (there’s no public transport available between Perugia and Castel Rigone). The Don Bosco youth program also works as a feeder system for Castel Rigone.

That’s because the club itself is…