By Tom Williams

January 22, 2003

Ernie Troiano - CAL Sportsperson of the Year

By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist

Almost a decade ago the selection of an annual Cape-Atlantic League Sportsperson of the Year began.

Those selected in previous years have included coaches like Pleasantville basketball coach Ken Leary, Absegami wrestling coach Gene Barber, Mainland football coach Bob Coffey, Wildwood girls basketball coach Dave Troiano and Ocean City football coach Gary Degenhardt, along with former Absegami athletic director Harry Ackerman.

This year the nod goes to someone who actually has no direct connection to a Cape-Atlantic League school. In fact, his alma mater is no longer a member of the league.

Ernie Troiano, who was once an athlete at Wildwood High School and whose son currently coaches the school’s football team, was the driving force behind the recent Boardwalk Basketball Classic at The Wildwoods Convention Center. He was the individual who brought the event together.

In case you’ve been away in the Bahamas for the past two months, there were 57 high school basketball games played in the five days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve at the convention center, in itself an impressive feat. But the fact that the games came off flawlessly was especially impressive.

The star of the five days was actually the facility, which enabled two identical courts to be set up so that two games could be played simultaneously. Each court could seat about 1,800 (concert seating, not bleachers) with its own concession.

The success of the Boardwalk Basketball Classic demonstrated what the facility, and its staff, really has to offer. It’s not just bigger, it’s extremely versatile. And you will eventually see more groups, including the NJSIAA, making use of it.

But big, versatile facility or not, events like this are not successful without the right people. Brian Cunniff played a key role. So did radio moguls Bill Huf and Scott Wahl. Tom Mitchell and Dave Troiano seemed to be everywhere.

But it was Ernie Troiano who made it happen.

In addition to the hundreds and hundreds of hours of planning, he was there for each of the 57 games, pulling together the efforts of the planning committee and the scores of volunteers.

If there was a question, he found the answer. If there was a problem, it was quickly solved.

The Boardwalk Basketball Classic was a big success, bringing most of the Cape-Atlantic League teams together into a setting that rivals some of the best tournaments of its kind.

A tremendous number of people played a role in its planning and operation. But one person made sure they were all pulling in the same direction.

He may no longer officially be associated with the Cape-Atlantic League, but his efforts at the helm of the Boardwalk Basketball Classic make Ernie Troiano the CAL SportsPerson of the Year.
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In the early part of the new year, it is always good to look back on the top area sports stories. As is our custom, here are the ten sports stories that seemed to generate the most interest among Cape-Atlantic League fans in 2002:

1. The exit of Wildwood High School from the Cape-Atlantic League after 52 years.
2. Repeat state championships by the Absegami wrestling team, Mainland boys cross country team, Ocean City field hockey team and Wildwood girls basketball team.
3. A South Jersey football championship by Mainland and an NJSIAA football championship by St. Joseph, giving the CAL 16 straight seasons with at least one champion in football, the longest streak in South Jersey.
4. The record-breaking seasons by Wildwood’s Monica Johnson in basketball and Lower Cape May’s Matt Dicken in football, plus the incredible versatility of Buena’s Drew Mack.
4. EHT’s Vinay Bhamidipati becoming the first Cape-Atlantic League boys tennis player to win the NJSIAA singles championship.
6. The resignation of respected coaches Gerry MacFarlane (Wildwood Catholic boys soccer), Charlie Arena (Buena baseball) and John Murray (Absegami football) and the forced resignation of Rich Klimek (Vineland baseball).
7. A win by Bridgeton’s Robert Edwards in the 800 meters at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, extending the CAL’s record streak of having at least one winner in the ultimate New Jersey track meet to 17 years.
8. Whitey Haak guiding his Mainland golf team to the NJSIAA overall championship and his selection as Regional Golf Coach of the Year for the Northeast.
9. The rare sweep of South Jersey Group 3 individual cross country titles by Ocean City senior John Richardson (his second) and freshman Brittany Sedberry, who was named South Jersey Runner of the Year.
10. The brand new Hammonton High School and the impressive athletic facilities it brings to the league.