Longtime football coach Tony Iadeluca awarded with Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal

With more than 35 years of experience as a football coach, Tony Iadeluca has earned a collection of honours, and now has one more to add. This past Monday, the outgoing Commissioner of the CJFL and St. Leonard Cougars Midget AAA President was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal; one of 60,000 awarded to Canadians.

Iadeluca was one of only four members of his community selected by the local MPP to receive the honour.

“It was the number of years that I was involved as a volunteer in the same community that prompted him to award me this medal,” said Iadeluca. “They gave me a medal, but there are tonnes of worthy volunteers all over.”

For Iadeluca, receiving an award for his service to the game of football, as well as to his community, is far from being as rewarding as the service itself.

“It’s a little bit humbling,” he explained. “Getting an award for doing something that I enjoy; we don’t do this for awards. We do it because we love the game. The only rewards here are the satisfaction of getting the job done.”

As he put it, Iadeluca was just trying to have an impact on football and on his community, but he was proud to be able to receive the award in front of his peers.

“It’s definitely an honour to receive this in front of other community members; to receive this in front of your family,” he stated. “It’s nice to be recognized in your community as somebody that went out and did some good.”

As much of an honour as receiving the Diamond Jubilee Medal might be, Iadeluca would have much preferred a different kind of reward.

“In my case, I think I would rather trade it in for better facilities,” he said jokingly.

Congratulations, coach.

Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.

Leave a Reply