Rutgers-Newark Athletics

      By Jim Hague     
 
Having been born and raised in Florence, Italy, Valentina Palchetti wanted to change the course of her life a little when the time came to attend college.

So Palchetti applied to Rutgers-Newark.

Say what?

“I already had been to the United States and I knew I wanted to come to school here,” Palchetti said. “My mom is from St. Louis. I only knew about Rutgers-Newark because they sent me a bulletin in the mail. I wanted to have a change of scenery. The schools in Italy were just a little too closed minded for me. I wanted to get a college degree in America, so I chose Rutgers-Newark.”

Certainly represents a major cultural change, from the artistic feel and beauty of Florence to the urban inner-city of Newark.

“I wanted to have a campus environment with a super structure,” Palchetti said. “I didn’t want to have to rely on things on my own.”

Before Palchetti made the move to America, she had to learn a little more English.

“We learned English in school there, but it’s almost like someone who is taught Spanish here,” Palchetti said. “You don’t really learn to speak the language.”

So Palchetti said that she learned to speak English by watching movies in English, as well as one show that was very popular in Italy.

Jersey Shore. And we’re not kidding

Palchetti learned a lot about English in anticipation to come to New Jersey by watching the exploits of young Italian-Americans living together in Seaside Heights.

“I learned a lot from that show,” Palchetti said. “I became familiar with the terminology.”

Three years ago, the stars of “Jersey Shore” paid a visit to Florence.

“That’s where I’m from,” Palchetti said.

When Palchetti arrived at R-N, she immediately signed up for the Scarlet Raider women’s tennis team.

“I played tennis for three years in Italy, because my parents didn’t want me to play soccer,” Palchetti said. “They thought I was too small. I came here and joined the tennis team and played for one year.”

However, by the spring of her freshman year, Palchetti was intrigued about playing soccer at R-N.

“I spoke to coach (Bill) Bustamante and told him that I wanted to play,” Palchetti said. “I only played soccer fooling around with my friends. I never played competitively.”

Bustamante loved Palchetti’s attitude.

“Val was always one of the first players there for practice,” Bustamante said. “She would always help with the equipment. She’s very unselfish and that’s the one thing I can count on. Players like her are so invaluable, because her contributions are not only on the soccer field.”

Because of her lack of formal soccer training, Palchetti is always asking Bustamante for pointers.

“She puts in a lot of work and is always looking to get better,” Bustamante said. “She’s is a very hard worker and a quick learner.”

“I think what helped me learn is that I was very determined,” Palchetti said. “I did put a lot of hard work into it. I definitely needed to get into soccer shape. But most of my fitness, I had to do on my own.”

When Palchetti returns to Italy for summer break, she plays with a club team there.

“I’m able to practice with the team back home and that helps me,” Palchetti said. “I get a lot of support from the players on teams, both here and back home, because of my effort. But I love playing. If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t do it. It’s all worth it.”

Bustamante is proud of the way Palchetti has adapted to her new home in Newark.

“If you didn’t know she wasn’t born here, you could never tell,” Bustamante said. “She speaks fluent English now. She’s just invaluable to our program in every way.”

Palchetti is also active with the Rutgers-Newark resident life program as a resident advisor.

“She does so many things,” Bustamante said. “She’s amazing.”

Palchetti, a criminal justice/political science major at R-N, is also an excellent student, among the very best in her junior class and among the best student-athletes in the school.

“I plan to go back to Italy and work somewhere in crime prevention, maybe at City Hall,” Palchetti said. “I want to combine the two.”

If there is one thing Palchetti has learned, it’s being able to juggle her hectic schedule.

“I’ve been able to balance everything out,” Palchetti said. “It hasn’t been too hard. It’s helped me with my time management skills.”

Palchetti has been carrying 18 credits throughout the spring semester and plans to graduate on time in May of 2014.

“Right now, I’m looking forward to next soccer season,” Palchetti said. “We have a bunch of new players coming in and we have a high number of players returning. My intention is to make it my best season ever. I put a lot of work in, so I deserve the best. I should get paid back for my hard work.”