Bethany Resident to be Honored at 75th Gold Key Dinner

By the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance

The Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance has announced the six 2016 John Wentworth Good Sport Award winners, including a Bethany resident.

Tom DeFilippo will be among those honored at the 75th Gold Key Dinner on Sunday, April 24 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

As athletics director and physical education teacher at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School’s Cady School in Middletown, DeFilippo has logged countless unpaid hours establishing and nurturing a football program. The football program serves the residents of CJTS - repeat juvenile offenders who come to the secure state-run facility to be rehabilitated.

No state funding is available for the football program so DeFilippo has successfully sought donations of money and equipment from ESPN, local colleges, People’s Bank and the region’s three NFL teams. DeFilippo also schedules opponents for CJTS, which is no small task. There are no road games. All games are home games with visiting schools submitting to security protocol upon arriving for the game.

The CJTS Hawks football program was founded in 2009, and in 2014 the field at CJTS was named in DeFilippo’s honor.

Other Good Sport recipients will be Ray Aramini of Columbia, John Greco of Middletown, Bill Nataro of Torrington, David Pelletier of Wolcott and Jennifer Schulten of Middlefield.

The award is given in memory of the late sports editor of the New Britain Herald and honors individuals who have dedicated their time to helping their communities through sports.

Former welterweight boxing champion Marlon Starling, New England/Hartford Whalers owner and founder Howard Baldwin, 1960 U.S. Hockey Olympic gold medalist Bob McVey, Trinity College squash coach Paul Assaiante and longtime Greeenwich High boys swimming coach Terry Lowe will receive Gold Keys at the dinner.

Tickets to the 2016 Gold Key Dinner, which begins at 4 p.m., are $75, and can be purchased by contacting CSWA Vice President and dinner chairman Tim Jensen of Patch Media at tim.jensen@patch.com. Tickets can also be obtained by mailing a check to the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance, P.O. Box 70, Unionville, CT, 06085.

Video via YouTube; photo via Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance