2025-02-21, 06:58 PM - Word count: 1065
Growing up in and around the Swiss Alps made Andre Caetano into the player he is today, and will shape the man he will develop into as the seasons progress. However, he is not the only player in the Season 20 class that can stake their claim to the impact of the region. As of writing on February 21st, 2025, there are **FIVE** S20 Academy players who will work diligently to climb to the top of the league and represent the Alpine Federation on the international stage.
![[Image: 4adBOiB.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4adBOiB.png)
Tony Delvecchio (@Tmoney6996), Italia
The "Vec" is a force to be reckoned with. After dominating the sandlot and other backyard sports, Tony took up cross country as a means to blow off some extra energy and harness that competitive spirit.
To say he excelled would be an understatement. More aptly, he accelerated. Tony has 20 Pace and 20 Acceleration. 9 Agility means he's not quite the best at changing direction, you can blame his cross country coach for that one, but he can certainly launch at the start of the whistle.
A touch of flair, technique, and anticipation, he is not just a one-trick pony. After starting the season with a 6.9 in MD1 and a 6.7 in MD2, Delvechhio has turned up the nitro a notch. He has three goal contributions in his last two matches, including an impressive brace and 8.9 rating against title rivals Istanbul.
Get that man another lollipop. The "Vec" is going to rinse blow past some suckers on the pitch.
Giacomo Santori (@Giacomino_raiola), Italia
Italy is known for their luxury vehicles, and speed and precision are synonymous with them. If Tony Delvecchio is the speed, Giacomo Santori is the precision.
While no slouch himself in the pace department (14 space, 12 acceleration, 10 agility), Santori focuses more on crossing early and often (13 crossing, 13 technique, 11 dribbling). He is a tactical afficionado (13 decisions, 12 vision) and playmaker (13 passing, 12 vision).
However, there has been more of a learning curve for this Italian winger. After averaging a 7.0 in his debut, he picked up two subpar performances in a row in MD2 (6.1) and MD3 (6.4). He has rebounded in the most recent MD4 (1 goal), but an interesting trend has arisen. Despite priding himself as a pinpoint crosser of the ball, Santori has only performed 8 crosses across 4 games, and has connected on ZERO of them.
There is light at the end of the tunnel for "El Maserati" as he gels more with his Victoria Falls teammates, but he will have to shift to a higher gear.
Jakob Fensterhausen (@Cycro), Italia
Onto the lone defender of this class of Alpine Federation cadets. With a crunching tackle and a progressive reading of the game, Fensterhausen is a formidable foe in multiple phases of play. He has a mental aptitude far beyond his age and will certainly be a popular player in scouting circles for professional clubs in search of their stalwart of the future.
There are some holes in his game, but nothing some sports psychologists and physio work at the highest level can't remedy. He can let his head drop at times when he team concedes early (5 determination) and lacks the bravery (8) to put his body in the line of fire consistently. However, these are addressable mental lapses, and can be looked past when considering his ability to sense danger (12 anticipation) and stay alert (12 concentration).
His agility (5) and acceleration (7) are not up to scratch to make the most of his respectable top speed (12 pace), but if he can begin to move those hips like Shakira (well, the one from a decade ago...) then he can make a career out of recovery challenges and tossing attackers like a stack of flapjacks.
Fensterhausen has not averaged below a 7.0 thus far this season for the early title favorities (MD1: 7.0, MD2: 7.1, MD3: 7.3, MD4: 7.0) and will be relied upon often. The hottest fire produces the strongest steel, and he will look to continue his stainless streak.
Andre Caetano (@DivogoJota), Switzerland
Abandoning the family trade of confectionary was a difficult choice for young Andre, but a choice he felt he had to make. He fell in love with the sport a bit later than most, instead dedicating more of his childhood to being a chocolatier.
This may lend to his inconsistency to start the season. MD1 he looked lethargic, while MD2 he ran around like a headless chicken in a winning effort. MD3 saw him drop a 6.4 rating, and then MD4 almost a full point higher at 7.3 -- he will need to become a more polished player before he goes from "Swiss Chocolate Bunny" to "Swiss Army Knife" in midfield.
However, he does has some upside to his game. He is deceptively quick (12 pace, 14 acceleration, 12 agility) and has a decent amount of game sense for someone catching up to speed with the sport (11 decisions, 11 off the ball, 11 teamwork). He doesn't excel at anything as of yet, but perhaps may find his niche in that. At worst, he will find a place as an utility-man in the middle of the park.
Marcel Voda (@Daleks), Slovenia
He was dubbed "Einstein" by some of his teammates. What he lacks in physicality, he more than makes up for in his reading of the field (16 decisions, 13 anticipation) and play-making (13 teamwork, 15 passing, 12 vision).
He is calm under pressure (11 composure, 11 determination), allowing him to act as a steady presence at the base of midfield ahead of the defense (11 tackling, 10 positioning).
Opposition teams will have to be precise to play through a player of his intelligence. This will be made a more difficult challenge as he builds more confidence, attaining a 9.0 match rating in the 9-0 dismantling of Jakarta. Istanbul and Stockholm will battle it out at the top, and it will be in large part due to Voda and his fellow Alpine Federation colleagues.
------------------------------------
A bright future for the Alpine Federation, albeit a bit shallow in defense. The journey to the summit starts now for our protagonists. May the north star guide them and the winds be at their backs.
Tony Delvecchio (@Tmoney6996), Italia
The "Vec" is a force to be reckoned with. After dominating the sandlot and other backyard sports, Tony took up cross country as a means to blow off some extra energy and harness that competitive spirit.
To say he excelled would be an understatement. More aptly, he accelerated. Tony has 20 Pace and 20 Acceleration. 9 Agility means he's not quite the best at changing direction, you can blame his cross country coach for that one, but he can certainly launch at the start of the whistle.
A touch of flair, technique, and anticipation, he is not just a one-trick pony. After starting the season with a 6.9 in MD1 and a 6.7 in MD2, Delvechhio has turned up the nitro a notch. He has three goal contributions in his last two matches, including an impressive brace and 8.9 rating against title rivals Istanbul.
Get that man another lollipop. The "Vec" is going to rinse blow past some suckers on the pitch.
Giacomo Santori (@Giacomino_raiola), Italia
Italy is known for their luxury vehicles, and speed and precision are synonymous with them. If Tony Delvecchio is the speed, Giacomo Santori is the precision.
While no slouch himself in the pace department (14 space, 12 acceleration, 10 agility), Santori focuses more on crossing early and often (13 crossing, 13 technique, 11 dribbling). He is a tactical afficionado (13 decisions, 12 vision) and playmaker (13 passing, 12 vision).
However, there has been more of a learning curve for this Italian winger. After averaging a 7.0 in his debut, he picked up two subpar performances in a row in MD2 (6.1) and MD3 (6.4). He has rebounded in the most recent MD4 (1 goal), but an interesting trend has arisen. Despite priding himself as a pinpoint crosser of the ball, Santori has only performed 8 crosses across 4 games, and has connected on ZERO of them.
There is light at the end of the tunnel for "El Maserati" as he gels more with his Victoria Falls teammates, but he will have to shift to a higher gear.
Jakob Fensterhausen (@Cycro), Italia
Onto the lone defender of this class of Alpine Federation cadets. With a crunching tackle and a progressive reading of the game, Fensterhausen is a formidable foe in multiple phases of play. He has a mental aptitude far beyond his age and will certainly be a popular player in scouting circles for professional clubs in search of their stalwart of the future.
There are some holes in his game, but nothing some sports psychologists and physio work at the highest level can't remedy. He can let his head drop at times when he team concedes early (5 determination) and lacks the bravery (8) to put his body in the line of fire consistently. However, these are addressable mental lapses, and can be looked past when considering his ability to sense danger (12 anticipation) and stay alert (12 concentration).
His agility (5) and acceleration (7) are not up to scratch to make the most of his respectable top speed (12 pace), but if he can begin to move those hips like Shakira (well, the one from a decade ago...) then he can make a career out of recovery challenges and tossing attackers like a stack of flapjacks.
Fensterhausen has not averaged below a 7.0 thus far this season for the early title favorities (MD1: 7.0, MD2: 7.1, MD3: 7.3, MD4: 7.0) and will be relied upon often. The hottest fire produces the strongest steel, and he will look to continue his stainless streak.
Andre Caetano (@DivogoJota), Switzerland
Abandoning the family trade of confectionary was a difficult choice for young Andre, but a choice he felt he had to make. He fell in love with the sport a bit later than most, instead dedicating more of his childhood to being a chocolatier.
This may lend to his inconsistency to start the season. MD1 he looked lethargic, while MD2 he ran around like a headless chicken in a winning effort. MD3 saw him drop a 6.4 rating, and then MD4 almost a full point higher at 7.3 -- he will need to become a more polished player before he goes from "Swiss Chocolate Bunny" to "Swiss Army Knife" in midfield.
However, he does has some upside to his game. He is deceptively quick (12 pace, 14 acceleration, 12 agility) and has a decent amount of game sense for someone catching up to speed with the sport (11 decisions, 11 off the ball, 11 teamwork). He doesn't excel at anything as of yet, but perhaps may find his niche in that. At worst, he will find a place as an utility-man in the middle of the park.
Marcel Voda (@Daleks), Slovenia
He was dubbed "Einstein" by some of his teammates. What he lacks in physicality, he more than makes up for in his reading of the field (16 decisions, 13 anticipation) and play-making (13 teamwork, 15 passing, 12 vision).
He is calm under pressure (11 composure, 11 determination), allowing him to act as a steady presence at the base of midfield ahead of the defense (11 tackling, 10 positioning).
Opposition teams will have to be precise to play through a player of his intelligence. This will be made a more difficult challenge as he builds more confidence, attaining a 9.0 match rating in the 9-0 dismantling of Jakarta. Istanbul and Stockholm will battle it out at the top, and it will be in large part due to Voda and his fellow Alpine Federation colleagues.
------------------------------------
A bright future for the Alpine Federation, albeit a bit shallow in defense. The journey to the summit starts now for our protagonists. May the north star guide them and the winds be at their backs.
