Kurt Cassar... lofty ambitions.

Young talent Kurt Cassar is currently enjoying a short Yuletide break with his family in Malta but he will soon return to Italy to continue his experience as a fledgling pro with Roma club Stella Azzurra with whom he has been engaged for the past four months.

Cassar, 15, was a prominent centre in the Malta Basketball Association youth competitions last season but decided to move abroad in the summer to gather more experience and become a better player.

“I’m not living an easy life but I intend to pursue my dream of becoming a top player,” Cassar, the son of former Malta international Silvio Cassar, told Times of Malta yesterday.

“Being away from my family and friends is quite hard and I miss them a lot.

“However, if that’s the way I have to go I’m prepared for it. In Italy, competition for places is so intense and the level of the game is really high.

“I was the tallest guy in the Maltese youth league but at Stella Azzurra the situation is different. The other players are all well-built and very skilful. Competition is tight and you have to practise regularly to keep your place in the team.”

On his return to Rome, Cassar will be travelling with his team to Belgium for an international youth tournament.

In Malta, I relied mostly on my father to develop my game but here training systems are very different to what I was used to

That will be followed by a similar top-level competition for Under-17s in San Lazzaro, on the outskirts of Bologna.

At present, Cassar is playing for Fortitudo 1908 Roma in the Italian youth league and so far the prospects look bright for him and the team.

“After 11 games we’re top of the regional championship,” he remarked.

“As I said, the level of competition is very high as most of the players want to leave a good impression. At Fortitudo 1908 Roma, we are seeking to qualify from our group and then play against other sides from other regions in the country.

“We also figure in the Serie C2 league to keep in form. The other teams include senior players in their line-ups but the Fortitudo coaches retain the same players from the U-17 team and that helps us to get more playing time and try out different tactics.

“We also travel a lot but I’m enjoying this experience. This is something very different to what I used to do before but I think I have made the right move to reach my career objectives.”

His new lifestyle in Italy varies significantly from his daily routine when Cassar lived with his parents and the training schedule is also more demanding.

“There are other young players on trial at Stella Azzurra Roma and we live together in the same quarters, not far from the training complex. Some come from as far as Russia and Senegal.

“We go to the same school and that helps us a lot to settle in our new environs. We study and spend a lot of time together during the day,” Cassar said.

“In Malta, I relied mostly on my father to develop my game but here training systems are very different to what I was used to.

“The coaches are more focused on individuals and sometimes I spend 75 minutes with the same mentor trying new skills in a small group.

“The technical staff are also keen on fitness so we have to stay in shape and fully concentrated so that what we learn in training, we try to repeat in matches.

“I have now started to realise the difference between playing for fun and vying to become a pro. I know there’s a long way to go but this is the route I want to follow for basketball to become my bread and butter.”