BSN Sports Underwrites Recognition for Local Principal

Thursday's WVI Dolphin Foundation Spirit of Youth Sports Awards Gala in Riverhead honored a group of Long Islanders who have used sports to inspire youth and improve their communities. After the honoree selection process had been completed, BSN Sports, through its Port Jefferson Sports affiliate, worked with the foundation's nominating committee to add a "Special Achievement" category to recognize an individual from outside the sports community who had made an outstanding contribution to the youth sports landscape in 2019.

With that, the first BSN Sports Spirit of Youth Sports Special Achievement Award was presented to Wyandanch Memorial High School Principal Paul Sibblies in recognition of his leadership in raising more than $350,000 from the local community to restore his school's athletic programs after they were eliminated in an austerity budget. At the gala, attended by nearly 200 guests at the Residence Inn Long Island-East End, Mr. Sibblies received his award from Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Hockey Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine.

"What Paul Sibblies did for the children of Wyandanch struck a chord with every Long Islander and anyone who is involved in the sports community," said Robert LoNigro of BSN. "As soon as we saw the opportunity to honor him with a Spirit of Youth Sports Award, we knew we wanted to be involved."

In addition to sponsoring Mr. Sibblies' award, BSN insisted that an invitation be extended to any of the Wyandanch coaches who wanted to attend and underwrote the cost of twenty attendees who were able to take a bow next to their principal - a gesture that WVI Dolphin Foundation Chairman Jeremiah Schnee referred to as "An example of corporate leadership in the community."

Others honored at the Gala included Rocky Point's Frank Zitaglio, General Manager of Baseball Heaven; Alexis Moed of Syosset, President and Coach of New York Islanders Girls Elite Hockey; Bridget Tartaglia Vales of Mount Sinai, a prominent local attorney who coaches boys basketball at Infant Jesus CYO; East Quogue's Andreas Lindberg, Men's Soccer Coach at Seton Hall University and founder of Southampton Soccer Club; and Alaine Robbins of Smithtown, Director and Coach of Dynamics Baton Twirling.

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.