Parma, November 27, 2011 – "The most beautiful experience of my life, after marrying my wife", it's how Corey Mazza, former player in the Parma Panthers, remembered his experience in Italy on a meeting at the Club House "Le Viole" in Moletolo.
The 26 year old guy from California returned to visit the Panthers family with his wife Kathleen, former cheerleader, three years after.

In 2008 Mazza arrived in Parma, with friends Danny Brown and Ryan Tully, where he scored 32 touchdowns in 15 games, with an average record at home Panthers. The WR also entered the final EFAF Cup for the first time in the Panthers history. The Panthers faced the Berlin Adler, but Mazza, at the last minute, couldn't play for an injury.

In the same year the Panthers hosted John Grisham, who was inspired to write the novel "Playing for pizza"; the American writer opened the season in the Italian league, recording a sold-outin the old stadium "Lanfranchi".
Mazza, before being hired by the Panthers, knew the reality of football in Italy right through the pages of the Grisham novel. "I must say that the description of the football game made by Grisham does not give justice to the Italian league. - said Mazza - The level is higher than you may expect. Here I rediscovered the pleasure of playing football, in America you are always under pressure right from the High School”.

At the end of 2008, Mazza returned to his town to attend the U.S. Marine Corps Officers Basic School, stationed at Quantico, Virginia, a choice inspired by his grandfather Gino, a member of the Marine Corps between 1951 and 1953. "I always wanted to join the Marine Corps to follow the footsteps of my grandfather. - he confessed - My project was to make the academy right after college, but when I received the call from Tira, I decided to postpone it".

After the training, Mazza went to Afghanistan in March 2011 as first lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, composed by 50 men: "It was very tough. Our day was divided into three parts: patrol, eat and sleep. Once every two weeks I returned to base camp to report and had the opportunity to find out how the NFL was going. For me and the other guys was a way to feel a little closer to home".
In Afghanistan, Mazza spent eight long months with only one goal: "Bring all my men home, but unfortunately it was not so". His mission will end in May: "I'm thinking with my wife about what to do after that".

See the pictures here