Baseball Heaven GM to Receive Spirit of Youth Sports Award

Riverhead, NY, November 12, 2019 – Frank Zitaglio, General Manager of Baseball Heaven in Yaphank has been named a recipient of the 2019 WVI Dolphin Foundation’s Spirit of Youth Sports Award. Since 2010, the Rocky Point resident has seen the facility grow to host 40,000 athletes and more than 2,500 teams each year in addition to operating 24 teams for boys and girls of all ages.

The WVI Dolphin Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization engaged in a “Sports for Good” initiative, sought nominees from all corners of the industry and from a wide variety of sports in its effort to showcase adults who are modeling positive behavior and introducing practices in the best interest of youth sports families. The Long Island based honorees have each demonstrated an ongoing commitment to use sports to improve their communities and to enrich the lives of boys and girls in their charge.

“Frank Zitaglio represents everything that is right about community sports,” said Jeremiah Schnee, founder and co-chair of the WVI Dolphin Foundation. “Despite the demands of being a firefighter and raising a family, he always found time to share his love of sports with young people. Now Baseball Heaven is an oasis that provides a best-in-class facility for Long Islanders of all skill levels and also a true destination for teams from the entire region to visit and compete. Frank’s team has created an environment that is inspiring, welcoming, inclusive, and educational.”

Mr. Zitaglio is a 37-year resident of Rocky Point where he and his wife raised three boys. Formerly a highly-regarded college baseball umpire, he officiated several sports at the high school level. He took over the top job at Baseball Heaven upon retiring from the New York City Fire Department in 1999 following a 30-year career.

The awards, will be handed out November 21st at a banquet hosted by Hockey Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine and held at Residence Inn Long Island – East End. Other honorees include:

• Alexis Moed of Syosset; founder and coach of New York Islanders Girls Elite Hockey
• Bridget Tartaglia of Rocky Point; basketball coach at Infant Jesus CYO and law partner at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia LLP
• Andreas Lindberg of Southampton; founder of Southampton Soccer Club and head coach at Seton Hall University
• Alaine Robbins of Smithtown; director and coach of Dynamics Baton Twirling Organization.

The 2019 Spirit of Youth Sports Awards gala will include a cocktail reception, dinner, awards ceremony, celebrity keynote, and auction. Proceeds of the event will benefit the WVI Dolphin Foundation’s Sports for Good program The event is open to the public and tickets can be purchased through Event Brite or at www.wvievents.com.

About WVI Dolphin Foundation

The WVI Dolphin Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, exists to inspire Legacy Families to pivot toward “give back” – wherein they can utilize their prestige, wealth, and power to make a disproportionate impact to uplift culture and the human condition. Our mission is to channel the funds raised to worthy early stage charities aligned with the Dolphin culture that support Veterans and Sports for Good Initiatives.

The WVI/LFC ecosystem is informed by our Dolphin Culture that encourages long-lasting, trust based relationships founded on integrity, community, and altruism.

For more info: https://www.wvievents.com/wvi-...