 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
The 2005
Chapter Leadership Award Honorees
• Carl Barzilauskas
- Midwest Region - Central Indiana Chapter
• Emo DiNitto
- East Region - Rhode Island
• Walter W. Hunt II
- West Region - King County (Seattle)
• Tony Sardisco - South
Region - S.M. McNaughton (Shreveport, La.)
The Chapter Leadership Awards annually recognize four individuals, one from each region, for their commitment, generosity and leadership at the local level. The NFF Chapter Leadership Award winners have dedicated themselves to fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of promoting the game of amateur football and its benefits to America’s youth. From scholar-athlete banquets to youth coaching academies, each of these honorees leads a devoted effort to touch the lives of countless youth, high school and collegiate football players.
“These four honorees are emblematic of the efforts by all our chapter presidents to maintain a strong presence in promoting the ideals of amateur football in their communities,” said NFF President Steve Hatchell. “The success of our chapter network could not survive without the commitment displayed by individuals such as these four.”
The 119 NFF chapters annually recognize close to 3,000 scholar-athletes and award more than $750,000 in scholarships to high school and college scholar-athletes. These honorees have spearheaded their chapter’s efforts in selecting the recipients of these awards, securing funding for future scholarships, and impacting the lives of many in their areas.
These four recipients were honored as part of the NFF Annual Awards Luncheon on December 6, 2005, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Later that evening, they were recognized before a capacity crowd of 1,500 during the NFF’s 48th Annual Awards Dinner. The Dinner also marked the official induction of 13 college football legends into the College Football Hall of Fame. In addition, the NFF honored 16 college seniors with National Scholar-Athlete Awards and presented the nation’s top football scholar-athlete with the Draddy Trophy presented by HealthSouth, to LSU Center Rudy Niswanger.
Midwest Region
Central Indiana Chapter
For someone who planned on being an electrician, Carl Barzilauskas turned out to be a pretty good football player.
In high school, Carl intended to forgo a college education and become an electrician, but an uncle talked him into getting his college degree. Despite hailing from Waterbury, Conn., Barzilauskas attended Indiana University and later became the sixth pick in the first round of the 1974 National Football League draft by the New York Jets. Even today, Carl still holds the distinction of being the highest NFL draft choice ever taken from Indiana University.
A 6’6”, 278-pound defensive lineman for the Hoosiers from 1970-1973, Carl led the team in tackles as a junior, and managed to play his entire senior season despite a broken foot.
Quick for a big man, Barzilauskas immediately became a starter on the defensive line for the Jets. He was named the 1974 NFL Rookie Defensive Lineman of the Year. He played a total of five seasons with the Jets and played two additional years with the Green Bay Packers, when a neck injury forced him to retire in 1980.
Barzilauskas took the reigns as president of the Central Indiana Chapter of The National Football Foundation during its inception in 1995 and hasn’t looked back. The chapter’s many endeavors include a highly successful scholar-athlete banquet, support of multiple Play It Smart programs in Indianapolis and the staging of the Midwest Region’s largest NFL/NFF Coaching Academy. The chapter has successfully teamed with all the football playing colleges and universities within their jurisdiction as well as the Indianapolis Colts to reach out to the football community throughout the central portion of Indiana.
In 2000, Barzilauskas received the prestigious Joe Boland Award for service to youth from the Indiana Sports Writers and Sportscasters Association. Additionally, he was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame that same year.
A long-time member and current president of the Indiana NFL Players Association, he created the Indiana NFLPA Foundation to help support numerous charitable causes.
A successful business leader, Barzilauskas owns several health care companies, including JMC Inc., Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy and First Health Care. He also owns Small Town Properties, a real-estate company in Bloomington, as well as two Colorado Steakhouse Restaurants, one in Bloomington and one in Indianapolis.
Carl and his wife Cathi live in Nashville, Ind., and he has one son, Bo.
East Region
Rhode Island Chapter
Without asking the question people will tell you their thoughts about Emo DiNitto. At the mere mention of his name, his acquaintances instantly ooze with enthusiasm and issue exalting statements. “He’s just the best, a truly amazing guy,” is a typical response.
As a player, a coach and now an administrator, DiNitto’s passion for the game of football and for Rhode Island’s young athletes has garnered the admiration, loyalty and the respect of many people, and he has leveraged his statewide reputation as the president of the Rhode Island Chapter of The National Football Foundation since 1994 to benefit of hundreds of Ocean State student-athletes. The chapter, arguably one of the nation’s most active NFF groups, organizes a prestigious annual awards ceremony honoring “The Golden Dozen” – 12 outstanding high school student-athletes who demonstrate excellence not only on the field but in the classroom. Approximately $88,000 has been awarded to over 200 of Rhode Island’s finest student-athletes.
To raise money for the chapter’s scholarships, DiNitto organizes an annual golf tournament. Other chapter activities include supporting an NFL/NFF Coaching Academy at the New England Patriots’ Gillette Stadium playing an active role with the NFF’s Play It Smart program at Central Falls High School in the Northern part of the state and Hope High School in Providence.
“Emo has done a remarkable job in rebuilding the Rhode Island Chapter from 20 members to well over 100,” said NFF Regional Coordinator Howie Vandersea. “He is the heart and soul of the chapter and is very much respected by chapter members, coaching associates, his former players and the citizens of Rhode Island. He is the perfect chapter leader for Rhode Island.”
DiNitto’s involvement with the chapter holds a special place in his heart.
“Everything I have is possible because of football,” DiNitto said. “Getting involved in the NFF is a way to give back to the kids for a lot of the stuff that I got as a player. If it wasn’t for football, I probably would’ve ended up in jail… [Football] was kind of like a savior to me.”
Football not only kept DiNitto from getting into trouble, but it also represented a way for him to afford higher education. A walk-on at Boston University, he played on the freshmen team. After proving he could handle the pressures of being a college quarterback, BU awarded DiNitto a scholarship, and he wound up starting every game for the rest of his football career at BU. After college, DiNitto played for three years with a semi-pro football team, the Providence Steamrollers.
DiNitto started coaching high school football in 1960, and over a 30- year span, he coached at Bishop Hendricken High School, Warwick Veterans and Toll Gate, where he spent more than half of his illustrious career. According to Gregg Drew, former Toll Gate football player, DiNitto’s last concern as a coach was the team record.
“He was willing to do anything for the kids,” Drew said. “It was never about wins or losses. He was a father figure to many of the kids, and he was very instrumental in getting me into college. He’s just very charismatic, genuine, and loving.”
This fall, as a special request of his daughter Nancy Vadeboncoeur, who died this past summer after an 11-year struggle with cancer, Toll Gate’s newly refurbished football complex will officially be named “Emo DiNitto Field” in honor of its dedicated coach of nearly 20 years. Drew believes that no one is more deserving of such recognition.
“He’s extremely passionate about promoting football and the goodwill associated with [the sport],” said Drew. “He’s touched an endless amount of people.”
DiNitto resides in Warwick, Rhode Island with his wife Nan. They have another daughter, Kelly.
West Region
King County Chapter (WA)
Since taking over as president of the NFF’s King County Chapter seven years ago, Walter W. Hunt II has provided the proper balance of aggressiveness and foresight in reaching into his past accomplishments to spur the chapter’s growth in numbers, programs and significance.
As a fullback on the University of Washington Huskies for four years, Hunt enjoyed success on both the individual and team levels. He received the “Most Improved Player” award following his junior season in 1983, and played a prominent role in the Huskies 1984 season that saw them finish 11-1 and #2 in the nation, following a victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.
Hunt remained active in the Washington football landscape after his playing days, coaching at several different high schools before a seven-years stint with the University of Puget Sound. In 1991, Hunt coordinated the South Seattle Youth Football Camp attended by more than 200 youth players. He joined the board of the NFF’s King County Chapter in 1992, and after eight years, became the chapter president in 1998.
Since then, Hunt has spearheaded an aggressive campaign to establish the chapter’s identity more prominently in the local community and impact a greater number of football players. The chapter has increased the scholarship money it awards to local high school football players from $2,000 annually to more than $7,000. The NFL/NFF Coaching Academy, held each year at the home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, attracts a capacity crowd of 150 local coaches who learn the finer points of coaching the game at the youth and high school levels. In addition, Hunt played a critical role in brining the NFF’s Play It Smart program to two local high schools, Chief Sealth and Rainier Beach High Schools, and plans to lead an effort to increase the program’s reach in the Seattle area.
“Walt has a distinguished background in the community, and he’s used that with a high energy level and commitment for the NFF to take the King County to new heights in their local community,” said Bob Keropian, NFF West Region Coordinator. “He’s connected with the key members of the local football community, and rallied an amazing amount of support for the chapter and the programs they run on an annual basis.”
Leveraging relationships with both the Seahawks and the Seattle Bowl, Hunt created new opportunities for his chapter to raise money to support amateur football in the local community. Additionally, the chapter’s newly introduced golf tournament funnels dozens of new members into their ranks, helping increase attendance at the chapter’s scholar-athlete banquet that now annually attracts more than 500 people.
“We’ve been aggressive in not only attracting new members but retaining the ones currently within our chapter roster,” Hunt said. “It’s important to remind our members about the benefits of joining and renewing and I think we’ve been very successful with the events we’ve held over the past several years in doing this.”
Hunt is in his fourth year coaching football at Auburn High School, just south of Seattle. He and his wife, Lisa, have a six-year-old son Trey.
South Region
S.M. McNaughton Chapter (Shreveport, La.)
Tony Sardisco began playing football at the age of 13, suiting up for his eighth grade squad simply to see if he could compete. Little did he know at the time that his impact on the game of football would resonate throughout the youth, high school, college and professional ranks for years to come.
A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Sardisco played college ball at Tulane University, accepting their scholarship offer over ones from Louisiana State and Notre Dame. The blend of academics, SEC football and proximity to the Shreveport-Bossier area sealed the deal for the St. John’s High School (now Loyola College Prep) product, and his arrival proved to be an omen of portent for Green Wave opponents over the next several years.
Sardisco played both offensive guard and linebacker during his four years at Tulane, averaging more than 56 minutes of playing time per game his sophomore, junior and senior years. An All-SEC guard in 1954 and 1955, Sardisco played in the Blue-Gray Game, Senior Bowl and College All-Star game, following his senior season in 1955. That same year, Sardisco captured First Team Look All-America honors, at a time when the Football Writers Association of America selected the now-defunct magazine’s All-America team. That team also included college gridiron legends such as Howard Cassady, Paul Hornung and Sam Huff.
Following his college career, Sardisco played for one year in the NFL, splitting time with the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins, before serving a two-year stint in the United States Air Force. He returned to the pro game in 1960 with the AFL’s Boston Patriots, earning All-Pro recognition in 1961. After his final season in 1963, Sardisco joined the assistant coaching ranks, moving from Jesuit High School in Shreveport to the Buffalo Bills and Temple University before returning to Jesuit in 1970 as their head coach. He became athletics director and a psychology teacher at Loyola College Prep (his alma mater) in 1973, while staying on as the athletics director for another twelve seasons. In 1985, Sardisco ventured into the business world, starting a company, Sardisco Insurance Planning Inc., where he remained active for 21 years.
During his five years as president and 20 years as a member of the S.M. McNaughton Chapter (Shreveport) of The National Football Foundation, Sardisco found an outlet to give back to the game he started playing in 1947.
“Football taught me a lot and provided me many opportunities when I was growing up” Sardisco said back in December 2005 about his opportunity to continue being part of the game through his work with the Foundation. “I use that as motivation to give back as much as I can to this young students playing the game.”
The chapter today boasts a membership roster of over 100 local community members and annually awards $3500 in scholarship money to seven football players every year chosen from 51-area high schools. Sardisco took great pride in assisting these young men with their academic and athletic pursuits.
“When I send these checks out to the universities and receive thank you letter from the students and the parents noting how much it helps, that makes it all worthwhile,” he said back in December.
In addition to his duties with the chapter, Sardisco belonged to numerous civic and local organizations in Shreveport, including the Knights of Columbus, Tulane T-Club, and the Shreveport Parks and Recreation Advisory Council.
On Sunday, May 28, 2006, Sardisco died at his home in Shreveport, La., after suffering a heart attack. He was 73 years old. He is survived by his wife, Julie, and four grown daughters; Madeleine S. Bergeron, Andrea S. Payne, Donna S. Brydson and Julie Ann Sardisco.
