Luciano De Cecco on the struggle with depression; I faced tournaments like nothing

• volleyball

Argentina veteran Luciano De Cecco spoke to Tiempo Argentino about his struggle with depression. “I’ve suffered from depression, not many people know it. I faced tournaments like nothing and then I’d go home and lie down with the lights off watching movies all the time, doing nothing.

I don’t know if it’s depression, but I do know a mood drop after when all situations overwhelm you because you demand the most of yourself to get where you want to go." The life of an athlete can sometimes be very difficult and people do not see the other side of the story.

"It’s something that shouldn’t be missed because nobody knows the hell that each one lives, what one goes through off the court to reach that moment in which everyone looks at you on television and says: ‘Uh, look what Luciano did’.

We all have problems that are hidden inside a player, inside the jersey. And you have to say it and try to let yourself be helped,” he said.

Luciano on the basketball and COVID era

During the pandemic, they also had big problems.

"All of my friends were telling me...oh, you're going to play like in the NBA (tournament bubble). Everyone knows the situation but we tried to focus, the team played really good. In our first game, against Perugia, we played at a very high level, I think the best game of the season so far, we are happy.

Unfortunately, Izmir was not able to attend, but for now we are happy and we try for the next tournament to do the same." Basketball used to be his love. "I used to play Basketball and Volleyball. Then I was told by my first coach that I could play Volleyball at a high level but I needed to choose the setter position, and I said "Oh no, it is the most boring position in Volleyball!" So every training for setting he tried to adapt my Basketball philosophy to Volleyball. Now for me it is the best and most fun position in the world!"