Awards Night 2022
Vaughan Vikings 1st Annual Awards Night
Last Thursday evening, October 13, we celebrated the efforts and accomplishments of the past year with our 1st Annual Vaughan Vikings Awards Night at the Venetian Banquet Hall. Oh, what a night it was!
Pre-Covid, we always announced our award recipients during the various year-end banquets we held. Not knowing what the summer might look like and wishing to ensure maximum participation, we planned an on-field event at the end of August to celebrate the players in our league. We also held our All-Star games during that day.
Wishing to recognize the award winners in a special way, we planned an Awards Night for this year. Based on the feedback, it is an event that we will host annually moving forward.
In addition to recognizing players, coaches, umpires, and volunteers, we also announced our 3 Scholarship winners. In addition, we took the opportunity to recognize and thank individuals who have played an integral role through their dedication and leadership in guiding and supporting us through our partnership with the City of Vaughan.
An Outstanding Achievement Award, along with a video tribute, was presented to longtime Vaughan umpire Sav Macchione, who is retiring after 30 years of umpiring games. The award was an acknowledgement of Sav’s dedication, commitment, loyalty, and friendship to the baseball community.
The evening concluded with a very special announcement of a $10,000 donation by the City of Vaughan Baseball and Softball Association (CVBA) to the Vaughan Food Bank. A cheque make out to the Vaughan Food Bank was presented to Mayor Bevilacqua, with a request that he deliver it to them on our behalf.
The donation is part of a plan to support local charities and foundations in Vaughan each year. The goal is to donate $10,000 annually to a local organization for 10 years. Each year, the Board will identify a local charity or foundation to support, thus helping the recipients to continue to do their vital work in the community in which we work and live.
We have always viewed our role as not just a youth sports league, but a member of the community. We have a long charitable and philanthropic tradition, and it is why we support toy drives and other fundraising initiatives when we are made aware of them each year. It also speaks to the values of caring and generosity of our membership.
This initiative continues that same civic spirit and responsibility, to play our part in making a difference and helping those in need in Vaughan. We are proud, on behalf of our membership, to support local organizations who are a lifeline for many of our friends and neighbours, and who make a difference every day.
As part of the initiative, we will encourage our membership to donate food to the Vaughan Food Bank to help those most vulnerable. We will suggest to our Rep and Select teams the opportunity to do their part through their own initiatives over the next 12 months. With the Vaughan Food Bank, teams could for example choose to run their own food drive or volunteer as a team to help on a specific date.
With the 1st Annual Vaughan Vikings Award Night, we have started a new tradition to recognize and acknowledge the achievements of our membership and thank those who play a pivotal role in making the season and our league a success.
We look forward to the 2023 Awards Night!

House League Softball Pitcher of the Year AVA MARMORATO |
House League Baseball Pitcher of the Year:
MATTHEW ODD |
House League Baseball Senior Coach of the Year
(Luch Valenzano Memorial Award) PHIL MEYER |
Rep/Select Softball Junior Pitcher of the Year:
TATIANNA KAPERNEKAS |
Rep/Select Baseball Youth Pitcher of the Year
JOSEPH SPADAFORA |
Rep Baseball Youth Coach of the Year ALEX KAKISH |
Rep/Select Softball Senior Pitcher of the Year KAYLA MARTINS |
Rep/Select Baseball Senior Pitcher of the Year
LOGAN BUSSOLI |
Rep Baseball Senior Coach of the Year (Pat Caicco Award) MARK Di CRISTOFARO |
House League Softball Junior Player of the Year
ELLA BURRELL |
Rep/Select Baseball Senior Pitcher of the Year
MASSIMO BENEDETTO |
Select Baseball Youth Coach of the Year DAVID NOON |
House League Softball Senior Player of the Year: VICTORIA IANNACE |
House League Baseball Youth Player of the Year
BOOKER VANDERMEER |
Select Baseball Senior Coach of the Year JON ECKLER |
Rep Softball Junior Player of the Year
SYDNEY WHITE |
House League Baseball Senior Player of the Year
THOMAS PETICCA |
Junior Level 1 Umpire of the Year MICHAEL FRANCESCO CUNHA |
Rep Softball Senior Player of the Year BETH GIBBONS |
Rep Baseball Youth Player of the Year
OLIVER ORR |
Junior Level 2 Umpire of the Year LOGAN PEDRO |
Select Softball Junior Player of the Year ASHLEY ZHOU |
Rep Baseball Senior Player of the Year
MARCO DiGIOVANNI |
Senior Umpire of the Year FRANCESCO DiBIASE |
Select Softball Senior Player of the Year LAURA GIANNONE |
Select Baseball Youth Player of the Year
ANDREW BOTTOS |
Softball Umpire of the Year JONATHAN SANGIULIANO-VOLPONE |
House League Softball Junior Coach of the Year ANDREW EASDALE |
Select Baseball Senior Player of the Year
LUCA PREVEDEL |
Volunteer of the Year PETER BUDZIAK |
Rep/Select Softball Junior Coach of the Year
KRISTIAAN ZANDWYK-de HAAS |
Rep/Select Softball Senior Coach of the Year
DAVE PERRY |
Presidents Award Mario DiSalvo |
House League Baseball Youth Coach of the Year (Angelo Petrone Memorial Award) CLAUDIO PASSARELLI |
House League Softball Senior Coach of the Year ROCCO MICCOLI |