Dolphin Athletes to earn their keep

Players to work at CSI Foundation’s annual golf outing, with proceeds going toward their road meals

Staten Island Advance - May 1, 2004

Little did College of Staten Island athletes realize that the nursery rhyme about the little kid singing for his supper presaged a real-life experience.

No, Nick Secchini, Jaclyn Badagliacco, Melissa Quiles and the Gwizdalosky sisters, Cheryl and Rosemary, are not about to be part of a CSI talent show, but Friday morning, when the CSI Foundation hosts its annual golf outing at the South Shore course, they’ll be working for their supper - next season’s whenever their teams are on the road.

The best thing about this outing is none of the proceeds are siphoned off: Every nickel is used for the students.

“The first $20,000 goes to the athletes,” CSI associate athletic director Jason Fein said yesterday. “We use it for the athletes’ meals when the teams are making trips.”

The rest goes to student leadership programs and for scholarships based upon need or academics, or both.

The next best thing about Friday’s outing is the golfers who combine love of sport with a good cause are able to see where their money goes.

“The donors get to meet the students. They get to see what their money is doing,” said Donna Lindsey, CSI Foundation event coordinator.

The golfers also have an opportunity to meet former New York Jet stars Freeman McNeil and Marty Lyons who will be there from the buffet breakfast through the 18 holes to the barbecue lunch.

But the golfers will find student/athletes and Foundation-aided students every time they turn around - caddying, passing out beverages on the course, distributing goodie bags, working the closest-to-the-pin and longest-drive holes, and helping at the silent auction for sports memorabilia and with the raffles.

And that’s really how it should be: Those who will benefit from the outing work to make it a success: Working for next year’s supper.

The cost for the outing, which begins at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start, is $175 ... Gary Angiulli and Angiulli Motors will have a new car for a hole-in-one on the par-3, 165-yard eighth hole… John Mazza, president of ADAK Contractors and Consultants, has replaced Staten Island Mall general manager Jim Easley as chairman of the event.