to feature Olympian Abby Wambach Brockport High School Girls Basketball Coach Kathy Boughton, Rochester daily newspaper sports columnist and Rochester Press-Radio Club Vice President Scott Pitoniak, the New York State West Youth Soccer Association Olympic Development Program and 2004 Olympic Soccer Gold Medalist Abby Wambach will be featured at the 27th Annual WHAM Sportswomen of the Year Awards Luncheon. The event raises funds for the Heart of Gold Children's Foundation and will recognize individuals from the Greater Rochester area who have distinguished themselves. Boughton, a Greece native, former four-sport captain at Cardinal Mooney High School who is in her third decade of service to interscholastic athletics as a coach and administrator, will be honored as the recipient of the Jean Giambrone Service Award. Named after the retired newspaper sportswriter who covered women's sports for 42 years, the Giambrone Award is presented to a woman who has made an exemplary lifetime commitment to local women's sports. Pitoniak is the recipient of the Jack Palvino Award. Named after the retired WHAM executive vice-president, it is presented annually to a male for outstanding support and contributions to local women's and/or youth sporting activities. Now in his 20th year as a sports columnist, Pitoniak is also being honored for his long-standing efforts on behalf of local children's charities and youth sports as a member of the Rochester Press Radio Club executive board. The New York State West Youth Soccer Association Olympic Development Program (NYS West ODP), with six boys and six girls age groups from Under-13 to Under-19 involving nearly 400 players and 32 staff members, is the 2004-05 recipient of the WHAM Outstanding Achievement Award. Aria Garsys, head coach of the Girls Under-15 program and the 2004 NYS West Girls ODP Coach of the Year Award recipient, will accept the WHAM Award. The other three awards presented at the luncheon will be the WHAM 2004-05 local high school, college, and at-large Sportswomen of the Year. The five finalists for each of these categories will be announced on April 6, with the winners revealed at the April 25th Luncheon. Abby Wambach, the luncheon's featured head table speaker, is Rochester's own 2004 Olympic Women's Soccer Gold Medalist. The 24-year-old forward headed in the winning goal in overtime for the U.S. Olympic Team to defeat Brazil 2-1 in the Gold Medal match. A 1998 graduate of Our Lady of Mercy High School, Wambach is a Pittsford native and former NYS West ODP player. A member of the U.S. National Team since 2002 with career totals of 45 goals in 55 matches, Wambach led the 2004 National Team in goals (31) in 33 matches and also had 13 assists. The event will be Monday, April 25 from noon until 2 p.m. at the Clarion Riverside Hotel in Rochester. Tickets for the WHAM Luncheon are $50 per person. Seats must be purchased by calling 234-2055. |
