Regional Councillor Tim Whalen announced Thorold's male and female athletes of the year at Tuesday's council meeting.
Male Athlete of the Year: Randy Gazzola
After playing minor hockey in Thorold, Randy Gazzola attended The University of New Brunswick, where he was named Rookie of the Year and went on to win three national championships in 2016, 2017 and 2019. He was the recipient of the Garnet Copeland Award for the overall student athlete at the UNB, and was the university’s representative for the James Bayer Memorial Award for his excellence in athletics, academic and community involvement. Gazzola was the two-time recipient of the Red and Black awards at the UNB for men’s hockey, while also receiving a ring of distinction from the University for being recognized numerous times at the national level. He was a five-time Academic All Canadian honour roll student for each year he attended school, and received a Bachelor of Business and Administration in three years and then pursued his Master of Business and Administration in his final two years at the university. After graduating, Gazzola joined the Toledo Walleye of the east coast league, where he played a pivotal role in helping the team reach its first ever Western Conference Championship. From there, they went on to the ECHL championship, losing in game six to the Newfoundland Growlers.
He has now decided to continue his career overseas and has signed a deal with the Rittner Baum of the Alps Hockey League. (See previous article here)
Female Athlete of the Year: Julia Longo
This young Thorold athlete began competitive swimming in 2006 with the St. Catharines Dolphins and continued at Denis Morris High School in 2007. During her career, she won 10 medals while representing Denis Morris from 2007 to 2011, including six OFSA gold and four OFSA Silver medals.
As a Special Olympic athlete, Longo competed in three Canadian National Games, and won two Gold and two Silver medals in London, ON in 2010; three Gold and one Silver medals in Vancouver in 2014; and five Gold and two Silver medals in Antigonish, NS in 2018.
Her special Olympic career has also included three World Games. Longo took home three Gold medals from Athens, Greece in 2011, two Gold and two Silver medals from Los Angeles in 2015, and one Gold and one Bronze from Abu Dhabi in 2019. (See previous article here)
The 2019 Thorold Sports Runway of Recognition awards dinner will be held March 30, 2020 at Johns-Michael’s Banquet Hall in Thorold South. Tickets cost $20 and include the ceremony and dinner, and are available at the Thorold Community Credit Union.
Whalen announced that a new four-year scholarship program will start for Thorold students in September, 2020. Sponsored by the White family, the scholarship will award one male and one female athlete with up to $10,000 each, for four years. Whalen added that members of the White family will attend the Sports Banquet in March to explain the scholarship program in greater detail.
