Francesco Bartolillo recently earned the U-Sports Student Athlete Community Service Award. The distinction is given for outstanding achievement in the classroom, on the soccer pitch, and as a member of the community.
The UNBC Timberwolves Men’s Soccer forward is the first to win a national U-Sports award in school history.
Bartolillo’s accomplishment includes coaching youth soccer, founding a soccer tennis tournament to benefit KidSport BC, and creating the Timberwolves Student Athlete Society. The most significant created initiative for Bartolillo, he said, is the MVP of the Month.
“It’s when we select a child in Prince George who is battling cancer and we raise money for that month to help contribute to the family’s costs and try to make things easier for them. That initiative, in particular, has really had a massive impact on me and my life.”
Last week, Bartolillo also won the Canada West Student-Athlete Community Service award.
Always humble, Bartolillo could not take all the praise. He was sure to acknowledge the good he has brought to the community but had to let it known he was not alone.
“It’s a special feeling knowing you are able to have that kind of an impact for sure but I have to credit my teammates first and foremost who, at any and every event we do, are all hands on deck making sure everything goes smoothly, making sure we have numbers to run, coordinate, and organize the event.”
The four-time Academic All-Canadian paced the Timberwolves with six goals and four assists for ten points this season. He is the all-time leading scorer in UNBC men’s soccer history.