Out of Workplace is a new GeekWire series spotlighting the passions and hobbies that members of the Seattle-area tech neighborhood pursue exterior of labor.
Identify: Luca Cazzanti.
Day job: Vp of knowledge and AI at Curinos, the New York-based maker of economic knowledge and analytics merchandise.
Out-of-office ardour: Teaching youth soccer and managing AI-equipped cameras for groups.
Cazzanti didn’t develop up enjoying organized soccer in Italy — however he performed each probability he acquired with the girls and boys he was pals with.
“The tradition there’s that all over the place you go, there’s a soccer ball,” he mentioned. “You get crumpled up paper with some tape, you kick it round. It was simply all over the place.”
When he moved to the U.S. due to his father’s job, Cazzanti performed varsity soccer in highschool in Minnesota. When he moved to Seattle, he began enjoying once more with adults within the Larger Seattle Soccer League.”
“We’re not that good,” he admitted. “Our soccer recreation is an excuse to exit for beers afterwards.”
A College of Washington PhD and tech veteran who has had stints at Amplero, Zillow and Zulily, Cazzanti is a former Geek of the Week who wished to place his knowledge science background to work in soccer analytics. He began taking on-line courses however quickly determined teaching would assist him study extra concerning the recreation.
“It’s each a science and an artwork, and I wished to study it higher,” he mentioned.
He coached his boys once they have been little, then took a job teaching sixth graders at Ballard’s Whitman Center College. Now he coaches the freshman ladies at Ingraham Excessive College in North Seattle. He’s additionally on the board of administrators and is secretary for Emerald City FC, a youth choose membership the place he additionally does slightly teaching.
However his tech and knowledge chops are most utilized as the one that manages the eight Veo AI-powered cameras the membership makes use of to movie video games throughout a number of groups and age teams. He handles digital camera assignments and inquiries from coaches, gamers and their households who’re all enthusiastic about seeing footage.
After a recreation video is uploaded, the Veo computes statistics routinely. Possession time, offense and protection, and scoring is all tracked. A person participant may be tracked by their quantity and the video routinely skips forward to all motion the place that participant is concerned.
“It helps groups begin to make sense about their model of play,” Cazzanti mentioned. “And it’s notably useful for older gamers who grow to be slightly bit extra severe. It can save you highlights of your self and begin to put collectively clips if you happen to’re severe about enjoying in school and need to have a spotlight reel.”
And it helps the info and analytics man additional contribute to the groups and sport he loves.
Most rewarding facet of this pursuit: Cazzanti works from house most days of the week, and throughout the fall soccer season he’s at the highschool each night time of the week. He enjoys being involved with younger folks and feeding off their power.
“It’s one thing that it’s a must to do in particular person. It actually workout routines that muscle, if you’ll,” he mentioned. “It’s enjoyable being in the neighborhood. You get to know the gamers, you get to know their households, you’re concerned.”
As well as, placing collectively a crew is sort of a puzzle, determining how every participant fills a task the place they really feel comfy and have an opportunity to succeed. Cazzanti can play to a participant’s strengths, however he additionally enjoys difficult them to strive one thing totally different.
“In the event you see them enhance all through the season, that’s the very best factor,” he mentioned. “One thing you tried in apply exhibits up within the recreation, you’re like, ‘Oh, wow, I can inform she’s making an attempt that.’ That’s superior. That’s probably the most rewarding half.”
The teachings he brings again to work: Cazzanti brings a coach’s mindset to fixing on a regular basis issues in his job, very like he would transfer gamers across the soccer subject to spotlight their strengths.
“The flexibility to try this additionally feeds into the soccer, so it’s a two-way road.”
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