State Senate Republican Leader Louis C. DeLuca (R-Woodbury), a member of the Board of Directors for the General Assembly's Italian-American Legislative Caucus (IALC), presented the group's annual "Italian American of the Year" award to UConn Women's Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma at their annual St. Joseph's Day celebration. Coach Auriemma, who was born in Italy and lived there until the age of seven, was honored for serving as a positive role model to the Italian-American community in Connecticut.
"Geno Auriemma represents everything positive about the Italian American heritage - hard work, loyalty and commitment to family," said Senator DeLuca. "As coach of the UConn women's basketball team, he has turned what used to be an overlooked sports program into one of the state's greatest points of pride. But we wanted to recognize him for demonstrating to a whole new generation that the values of the old country are still relevant today in America."
Coach Auriemma, who returns occasionally to his hometown in Italy with his children, delivered a moving acceptance speech that recounted his youthful conflict between preserving his Italian heritage and the desire to be an American. He recounted the fact that young people aren't always enthusiastic about retaining a cultural identity, but that it proves invaluable as you grow older.
Senator DeLuca, an ardent supporter of the UConn women's basketball team, pointed out during the ceremony that Auriemma's Italian-American cultural heritage is on full display every time he coaches a basketball game.
"When you hear the name 'Geno,' you automatically get the idea that he's Italian, but when you see him coaching on the sidelines, waving his arms, then you know for sure," joked Senator DeLuca during the presentation.
Senator DeLuca, the highest ranking republican in the state legislature, is a former Chairman of the IALC and currently serves on the Board of Directors. The IALC is a bi-partisan organization composed of Connecticut state legislators of Italian decent. The caucus holds two major fundraisers a year to benefit their scholarship fund, which provides students in Trinity College and Central Connecticut State University's Italian Studies program with the opportunity to travel to Italy. |
