
The Gene J. Casey/New
Haven County Chapter is one of the oldest in the Northeast. It has the
largest membership base and has been a long time community leader
in the New Haven area. Each year their banquet, with 300-400 people
in attendance, honors student athletes from our 37 member schools
and gives out more than $5000 in scholarship aid. Other outstanding
contributors are also honored.
Chapter Activities include Fall Dinner
Meetings, including the popular pre-Thanksgiving Coaches’
Dinner and the Hall of Fame Classic, an all-star football game between
the chapter schools in New Haven and Fairfield County.
The New Haven Football Foundation will embrace
the National Football Foundation’s mission by continuing to
promote and develop the power of amateur football in developing
the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal and
the drive for academic excellence in the County of New Haven.
The New Haven chapter will also:
- Inspire young people to excellence with the
scholar – athlete awards program.
- Build character from the qualities of the
game of football.
- Continue to increase membership into the New
Haven Football Foundation by involving fans, coaches, educators,
media and former players.
- Offer scholarships to scholar athlete
candidates.
Photos From The Evening
NEW HAVEN COUNTY CHAPTER
NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION
AND COLLEGE HALL OF FAME
50TH ANNIVERSARY AWARDS DINNER
2010 SCHOLAR ATHLETE AWARDS
SCHOLAR ATHLETES
BRETT BIESTEK SHEEHAN RYAN KINDULAS HOLY CROSS
MATTHEW BORSUK AMITY DANIEL MARIANO NAUGATUCK
MICHAEL BOHNE LYMAN HALL DeSHAWN MURPHY HYDE LEADERSHIP
JOSHUA BUDWITZ PLATT NICHOLAS O’CONNOR ANSONIA
DOUGLAS DANIELLS FORAN ADAM O’LEARY MALONEY
ADAM DEAR GUILFORD DANIEL PFAU NOTRE DAME
GIANLUCCA DELAROSA EAST HAVEN MUSTAQIIM PLAIR WILBUR CROSS
ANGELO DISORBO DERBY ALESSANDRO POWELL HAMDEN HALL
RYAN D’SOUZA HOPKINS NICHOLAS PRUTTING ST. JOSEPH
WILLIAM ERNST WATERTOWN JAMES QUISH JONATHAN LAW
ALEX FLANDERS DANIEL HAND LUKE SHEARMAN OXFORD
MATTHEW GORHAM CHESHIRE CONNOR SHUGRUE SEYMOUR
JAMES HART WOODLAND REGIONAL ALPHONSE SIMEONE XAVIER
EVAN JACKSON CHOATE ROSEMARY HALL TAYLOR SULLIVAN BRANFORD
QUINN KENNING FAIRFIELD PREP MATTHEW VECE NORTH HAVEN
AWARD WINNERS
DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN AWARD RANDY EDSALL COACH UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
CHAPTER AWARD OF MERIT ANTHONY FONTANA VAL’S FORMAL WEAR ORANGE
CHAPTER COACH OF THE YEAR TOM MARCUCCI NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL
OFFICIAL RECOGNITION AWARD JIM BRENNAN 30 YEAR OFFICIAL ORANGE
THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER WAS HELD ON APRIL 23 AT AQUA TURF IN SOUTHINGTON

TOM MARCUCCI SELECTED CHAPTER COACH OF THE YEAR
After an 11 year absence from coaching, Notre Dame Coach Tom Marcucci returned to the sidelines and led the Notre Dame Green Knights to 11-1 record and the Class L State Championship. For his success he was selected New Haven County Chapter Coach of the Year and was honored at the 50th Scholar Athlete dinner at Aqua Turf on April 23.
Finishing the regular season 9-1, the Knights defeated the Chieftains of Conard 42-14 in the semi finals of the Class L playoffs and then the Panthers of Pomperaug 28-21 for the title. Both were undefeated at the time. The Knights only loss was a 29-28 defeat to arch rival Xavier on a 2 point conversion with less than a minute to go in the second week of the season.
Notre Dame’s juggernaut scored 468 points averaging 39 point per game on their way to the title. In addition the Knights were selected the top team in the state in all polls and were honored in January as the #1 team in the state at the 43rd Walter Camp Football Foundation annual awards dinner at Yale Commons.
Coach Marcucci previously led Notre Dame from 1982 to 1998 before accepting a position as Vice Principal of the school. He also was selected the chapter Coach of the Year twenty five years ago in 1984.

Matthew Vece, North Haven 2010 Donald Lewis, Sacred Heart 1962
50TH PROGRAM INCLUDES FIRST AND LAST SCHOLAR ATHLETES
The speaking program for the 50th anniversary dinner was heightened by having a member of the first scholar athlete class honored, and the last one to be honored this year, speak about being chosen as scholar athletes.
E. Donald Lewis graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury in 1962. He played for three years and was a starter for two. He was a co captain and was selected All City as a quarterback. He was active in school as a member of the English, History, Science and Spanish Clubs and was also a member of the Glee Club. Don was also a member of the basketball, baseball and track teams. He received the first scholarship presented by the chapter and attended Boston University where he graduated in 1966. At the present time Don is the President of USI New England, A Goldman Sachs Capital Partner Company in New Hampshire.
Matt Vece of North Haven High School played offensive guard and linebacker for Coach Tony Sagnella and the 7-3 Division II West Champions. He was a member of the Spanish and Asian Clubs and a peer mediator. Matt is an Eagle Scout and volunteers with autistic adults. Matt also learned sign language. He will attend UConn.
“Don Lewis represents the past and Matt Vece represents the future. They represented over 1000 scholars honored by the chapter since the first dinner.

CHAPTER GETS GREETING’S FROM NATIONAL CHAIR
The 50th anniversary dinner had a special guest when Ron Dilatush, Director of Membership, traveled from headquarters in Irving, Texas to give greetings to our award winners and those attending. A native of Princeton, New Jersey, Ron graduated from West Windsor Plainsboro High School. As a senior, he earned numerous area and state accolades in football including First Team All American honors. He later attended the University of Delaware where he participated in football and baseball.
Prior to joining the National Football Foundation, Ron was the Commissioner for “Pop” Warner Little Scholars, the largest youth football program in the country. In 2004 he became the Eastern Region Coordinator for the National Football Foundation and in 2006 assumed the position of Director of Membership. In this position he oversees the Foundations 120 chapters and the overall development for the chapter system. Ron is the father of 3 and lives in Flower Mound, Texas.
Chapter President Bill O’Brien said, “we are extremely pleased that Ron Dilatush came to our 50th anniversary to bring greetings from our National organization. Steve Hatchell, President of the National Football Foundation, has always supported us in our activities and having a key member of his team be with us is special”.
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