Glenn's Viteritti on track for big time in Italian soccer

It was Feb. 1, national letter-of-intent signing day for high school seniors. East Northport's Angelo Viteritti, a senior at Glenn who had verbally committed to play soccer for Towson University, was in Italy on a trip with the New York Stars travel team. The Towson coaches wanted his letter, so Viteritti's mom, Maria, faxed it across the Atlantic Ocean to her son's hotel. Angelo signed and returned it.

Little did Viteritti know that he was on a trip that would mark the beginning of the end of his college career - and the start of a professional one that begins this summer. During the tournament in Viareggio, Italy, Viteritti, a 6-2, 195-pound, four-year starting goaltender for Glenn, caught the attention of talent scouts for some of Italy's top soccer clubs.

Chievo Verona of Serie A, Italy's best league, invited him to a three-day tryout in Italy in March. He went with his father, Lou. Despite a language barrier, Viteritti absorbed and executed the nuances of Italian goaltending that the coaches taught. They asked him to stay for a fourth day. At the end of the fourth day, the club president called Lou and asked that Angelo not sign with any other team. Call it an offer.

The 18-year-old and his size, athleticism and shot-blocking ability, was discovered on a global stage. "It came really fast," said Viteritti, who posted 10 shutouts in 18 games last season for Glenn, a Suffolk Class A semifinalist. "I did what I needed to do on that fourth day. I needed to show that I was worthy enough to play with the Italians."

In late July or early August, Viteritti expects to join Chievo Verona's Primavera team, the equivalent of a Triple-A baseball team, with players 18-21 years of age. His goal is to become that teams' No. 1 goaltender, which would put him in line for a call-up to the first team. That's the big-time - playing in front of tens of thousands of fans against clubs such as AC Milan and Juventus.

Because of rules that limit the number of non-European players allowed in Serie A organizations, Chievo is waiting until Viteritti earns Italian citizenship (All four of his grandparents are from Italy and he's second-generation) before he signs a contract.

He's in regular contact with the club, and when he does sign, Viteritti will become the first American goaltender ever to sign a Serie A contract. He will be enrolled part time at the University of Verona, but forgo college athletics eligibility.

"As a soccer player, everybody wants to be a professional," he said. "It's a dream. I'm going to be playing for them. Something like this comes around once in a lifetime."

In the meantime, Viteritti is running, weightlifting and working indoors on goaltending. He lists his jumping ability, quickness and 75-yard punts as strengths. "I can see why he's raised eyebrows over there," Glenn coach Lou Hanner said.

"He's a dynamic keeper with his size and shot-blocking. He takes over a game," said Frank Vertullo, who coached Viteritti from age 12 with Commack SC Premier.

Viteritti's father described Angelo, the oldest of seven children, as having an even-keeled, focused attitude, similar to that of a baseball relief pitcher. "He's always thrived in the spotlight and big games," Lou said. "Nothing fazes him."

During the first trip to Italy in February, Lou learned of scouts' interest and didn't hesitate to tell Angelo he was being watched. Father knows best. In the final game, Angelo made about 10 saves against Torino in a 1-0 loss on a penalty kick. (He got a piece of the shot, too). He was told by scouts that he rated an eight out of 10. He did everything but score. "Pretty much a perfect game," Angelo said.