Last year, the season for the Dolphins Ancona ended in the semifinals against the Guelfi Firenze. Despite this, the team showed that they were at the same level as one of the strongest teams in Italy. Year after year, the Dolphins have proven to be stronger and are now one of the contenders for the IFL 2024 season. Let's hear from head coach Roberto Rotelli, offensive lineman Stefano Chiappini, and safety Raffaele Rotelli regarding their goals for the upcoming season, their changes in offense and defense and the strength of their confidence and group.
Robert Rotelli, Head Coach
Let's start with the questions for Head Coach Roberto Rotelli , who has been coaching the dolphins for years and now is more confident than ever on his team and players.
For a few years now, you have established yourselves as one of the strongest teams in the league. What mental and tactical aspects have you worked on during these years? How much more confidence does the team have now? Do you believe you are ready to win the title, or do you still lack something?
You can never believe you're ready to win the title; there's always an extra step to take to reach that goal, but we're working on it. I believe we shouldn't care about the reasons why we've reached this level, but instead on how important and difficult it is to maintain the same intensity once we've reached that standard. We always need to find the right stimuli.
This year, most of our players started the offseason and athletic preparation work in September, which allowed us to have excellent physical condition from the early practices. I see the team very united and focused on the same goal. I also want to emphasize that the presence of Rik Parker, our quality coach and Defensive Coordinator, has greatly influenced the mentality acquired by the team over the years.
In terms of choosing imports, you have consistently proven capable of signing American players who can change games. This year, you have re-signed Colin DiGalbo for the fourth year in a row. How important is he now in your offensive system? Will there be changes on offense? Will we see a fast-paced offense balanced between running and passing this season? How will you handle the absence of a playmaker like Luciano Giuliani?
The selection of American imports comes from a deep and long scouting activity. We always prefer to select players from D2 programs because, compared to D1 players who are used to playing in stadiums with 70,000 people, they are better suited to our level of football. We analyze their statistics and college accomplishments. Colin is crucial in our offense; we've introduced new schemes and plays with him, which we tried last year but weren't perfect.
This year, our offense will be balanced between runs and passes, and we'll use our American players on defense also for offense like previous years. The absence of a playmaker like Luciano will certainly weigh on our offense; I'm happy for him that he'll have the opportunity to play in such an important league like the ELF. However, I believe that our other receivers will be able to step up in his absence.
On defense, you have also signed a Safety and a Linebacker this year, Bo Sanders and Hayden Kelly. What do you think about both of them? Do you believe they will be game changers? What aspects of the defense do you consider positive, and which ones do you consider negative?
Both of our defensive imports have been excellent players in their college careers. Bo Sanders, in particular, having played as a receiver in high school, will also help us on offense. He has excellent hands and moves very well on the field. Hayden will join our defense, which has been our strong point in recent years with all the starting players, but we faced some issues when injuries occurred. He's a Texas guy, an All-American from D2, and like all Texan players, he's tough. He will also play on offense; in high school, he played Tight End and Fullback. I'm certain that both will be game-changers.
Another weakness in our defense is the lack of depth in the roster, especially in the linebacker group. However, I think that we're gonna have a solid defense this season.
Stefano Chiappini, Offensive Lineman
Let’s move on to the second part of the interview with Stefano Chiappini’s words. He’s a legend of Italian football. He's the Center and captain of the National Team, and one of the leaders of Dolphins' offense .
You're certainly the most experienced player on the team. How have the Dolphins changed tactically and mentally over the years? How much has the offense improved? What still needs to be improved?
Over the years, we have grown significantly. The offensive system has improved a lot; the previous years it used to be focused on passing, now it's much more balanced. Our Offensive Coordinator, Loris Aquinati, has been able to create a playbook that leverages the athleticism of our offensive line, which in previous years, being an undersized group, struggled against the defensive lines of other teams. This factor has helped us improve our running game, which was a fundamental element of our offense last year.
One aspect we need to improve is definitely our mentality. Being a very young team, we need to learn not to drop our intensity during games and play every quarter with the same level of focus. In terms of physicality, most of our players have started working out in the gym consistently over the past year, and this will certainly help us throughout the season.
You're now one of the contenders for the IFL 2024 title. Do you believe you'll be able to go all the way this season? How much has the unity of your group impacted your team's performance?
Our goal is certainly to win the championship. However, in the last 3 years, we have always been defeated in the semifinals. The unity of the Dolphins family is crucial; both on and off the field, we are always together, and over the years, this has helped us grow as a team. One of the reasons that did not help us from reaching the final last year was definitely the 13 injuries we had during the season, which is quite a significant number. However, other teams also faced injuries, so this cannot be an excuse.
We have more team confidence, and we have grown both mentally and physically. We are practicing well. We no longer want to be a mediocre team like in past years, where we always lost against stronger teams like Guelfi and Parma. Instead, we want to take the big step and reach the final.
Raffaele Rotelli, Safety
Let’s conclude the interview with Raffaele Rotelli’s words, one of the most talented young players in italy, who became one of ancona’s defensive leaders with his attitude and talent.
Last season, you showed excellent defensive solidity, characterized by the presence of experienced players and young talents. How much and in which aspects has the Dolphins' defense grown? In what areas do you think you still need to improve? Do you think you will be solid again this year with the arrival of the two American imports?
Our defense has grown a lot compared to last year primarily because many players, including myself, have started working hard and consistently off the field. We all understand the importance of gym work. I'm confident that we'll have a very solid defense.
We need to improve communication in the middle of the field, also to help the two new American guys, Bo and Hayden, who are integrating very well into our defense. Especially with Bo, I've managed to build a great relationship off the field because is a very young guy like me. Both are trying to adapt to our defensive playbook, and we need to be able to help them because it's their first year playing with the Dolphins. They are very excited and can't wait to start.
Last season, you were close to the Italian Bowl in Toledo. What was missing for you to reach the final? How confident are you now? Do you think you are ready to win the title?
We are very confident in ourselves, and our goal is to win the championship. What we lacked in previous years is how we approached games against the other contenders; we always lost to them. This year, we want to show that we are at their level and beat both Guelfi and Panthers.
We need to improve how we start playing during important games like that; often, we perform badly in the first quarters, while in the second part of the game, we wake up and start playing differently. When I see how we are practicing, I am convinced that if we improve these aspects, we will definitely be able to close the gap between us and the other two contenders and compete for a spot in the championship final.
2024 Dolphins Ancona Perspective
The Dolphins Ancona are poised for a significant season ahead, building on their past successes and determined to overcome previous obstacles. The team's tactical evolution and mental fortitude under Head Coach Roberto Rotelli's guidance signify a potent force in the IFL. Stefano Chiappini's leadership on the field underscores the team's commitment to balanced play and continuous improvement, while Raffaele Rotelli's insights reflect a defense primed for excellence. With newfound unity, physical preparedness, and strategic adjustments, the Dolphins Ancona are primed to challenge for the IFL title, ready to rectify past shortcomings and assert their dominance on the gridiron.
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