Vaughan
July 05, 2008 11:58 PM
Community work family affair
By: David Fleischer
Toni Canole Parola has always loved soccer, but he never imagined he would end up on the field with a professional team, wearing the jersey of Toronto FC.
The Woodbridge resident was named the BMO Community Hero of the Game and had the honour of performing the coin toss for TFC’s game against the Kansas City Wizards.
He admits it was a bit nerve-racking at first and while he was briefed on what to expect, he says, “It feels a lot longer when you’re out there”.
Ironically, the 33-year-old heard about the hero initiative and went to the team’s website to nominate a friend. It was while he was filling out the form that his wife suggested she would nominate Mr. Parola.
Not long after, he got the call informing him he’d been selected.
As part of the hero award, he earned two prime seats for the game, along with a pair of jerseys and the rare opportunity to perform the coin toss.
The coin now sits in a commemorative case in his home and he holds on to fond memories of his time on the stadium’s jumbotron.
A few years ago, Mr. Parola began a tradition of playing soccer with a friend at Napa Valley Park on Saturday afternoons.
When the New Life Christian Church opened at Hwy. 7 and Weston Road, the Saturday soccer games evolved into what is now an indoor youth soccer league with 10 teams.
“Once it was ongoing and we had the teams, it didn’t take too much time,” Mr. Parola says of volunteering to organize the league.
Having extra time is a good thing since his experience led to helping with youth programs at the Cervaro Cultural Society. His father was already a member of the group for people from the Italian village who now live in Vaughan and Richmond Hill.
Now he does everything from fundraising to refereeing their annual soccer game and working their tent at Heritage Village Day.
But that only scratches the surface of his community work.
Mr. Parola also hiked for ALS, played beach volleyball for Sick Kids, rode a bike for the Becel Ride for Heart and Stroke and co-captained an Easter Seals relay team at his workplace.
“Running isn’t my thing. I like the team sports,” he admits.
Naturally, he followed Euro 2008, but with Italy out of the competition earlier than expected, Mr. Parola says the only silver lining was being able to enjoy the rest of the games free of stress.
“I can appreciate the beauty of the game and not yell at the TV,” he says, laughing.