On Nov. 3, 2019, 120 Western New York youth sports coaches were honored after being named to the first-ever Project Play WNY Coaches Honor Roll. Among the honorees was our firm’s co-founder Frank Borgese who is a youth coach for the Delaware Soccer Club where his son Dominic plays.
Frank has a deep love of sports and has been volunteering to coach youth soccer over the last few seasons. Coaching has helped Frank, and his wife Melissa, introduce sports to their son Dominic and daughter Mia. And there is perhaps no more beautiful place to play than in Delaware Park. Frank still tries to stay active as a player, too, participating in the last two “11 Day Power Play” hockey campaigns to raise money for cancer research while enjoying a sport he loves.
One of Project Play WNY’s focus areas is to Train All Coaches. Coaching kids goes beyond simply winning games – it is also critical to develop each athlete. This is established through a supportive team culture that celebrates effort, focuses on skills that matter, and teaches athletes the importance of being a role model and being coachable. By joining forces, coaches create a safe and supportive environment for the young athletes they serve. 
Coaches who exemplify these qualities were nominated by representatives of local youth sports organizations in a community-wide process. The Project Play WNY Train All Coaches Working Group sorted through the many nominations and selected the honor roll coaches, who received two tickets to watch the Nov. 3 Bills v. Washington Redskins game from the Business Class Suite at New Era Field. [Buffalo won, 24-9]
“I’m so proud to be a coach and to try and make a positive impact in the lives of so many talented young soccer players. I sincerely enjoy helping each player grow and develop their skills and love for the game. It’s all about having fun and having the confidence to try your best each and every day.” – Frank Borgese
Project Play WNY is a collective impact initiative funded by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. The initiative includes 87 individuals who are focused on ensuring all WNY kids have the opportunity to be active through sport. For more information, visit www.projectplaywny.org
In addition to receiving this special recognition, Frank was honored to be selected as House Coach of the Year by the Delaware Soccer Club at their end of the year celebrations this month. [picture below]
