Tony de Thomasis
Written by Ava Magliaro
In past decades, the Italian-Canadian community has continuously been scrutinized and undermined. They have faced racist backlash from both Canadians and the Canadian government. Today, however, Italian-Canadians are one of the most prosperous immigrant communities in North America. Many own highly reputable businesses, hold university degrees, and manage their own companies; displaying the hard-working attitude this community is known for. Tony De Thomasis, an Italian immigrant, businessman, and soccer club owner, does not shy away from such qualities. The main objective of my research was to examine the impact of Italian immigrants within the Canadian sports community, as well as how they are commemorated. Tony De Thomasis is a perfect example of such criteria due to his cultural roots and recognized impact within the York regional community.
Tony De Thomasis was born in Abbateggio, Abruzzo, Italy. He immigrated to Canada at an unknown age, attended York University, and graduated with an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Math and Science. He then ventured into the business side of the soccer industry. De Thomasis became the owner, chairman, and manager of the York Region Shooters, while subsequently owning highly successful financial management cooperation. For a brief period, De Thomasis renamed the team to the Italia Shooters in celebration of Italian heritage and culture. Through his leadership, the team won a number of titles and championships, including the 2006, 2014, and 2017 Canadian Soccer League (CSL) championships.
Under De Thomasis’s management, the team flourished in their CSL rankings. Many players were brought from abroad, as DeThomasis believed that everyone, no matter, who they were, or where they lived, deserved the opportunity to live out their passions. The migrant players pushed the team forward. Between 2003 and 2017, the team rose in the ranks through unbeatable seasons and winning streaks. The team began to make a name for themselves as up-and-coming in the Professional Canadian soccer leagues. Unfortunately, the team was dissolved in 2017 due to empty stadiums. In an interview, De Thomasis mentioned that the team’s lack of support was because there were no grassroots; no one wanted to support an Italian league.
Although De Thomasis made his mark with impeccable coaching and management skills with his team, his efforts were awarded but did not disclose his heritage. His impact on the Italian community has not been officially recorded or archived. It was challenging to find archived newspapers or articles about De Thomasis and his team. Much of the information found were fragments, pieced together by researching multiple different sources. Nevertheless, De Thomasis is recognized to this day as a coach who sparked professional careers for many including, Anthony Adur who lead the team to the regular season championships in 2016.
The Italian-Canadian sports community in Canada is one that still lacks proper representation. Tony De Thomasis was affluent in promoting Italian culture through his soccer team yet lacked the appropriate delegation. However, though his impact within the sports community did not mention his Italian ethnicity, he influenced the lives of many. DeThomasis is a prime example of what the Italian work ethic is; when things get tough, you must become tougher. Early Italian immigrants knew that in order to make a life for themselves they had to perseveres through what ever came their way. These virtues of the Italian spirit have been ingrained in the mind of the many generations of Italian immigrants and will continue to do years to come.
December 2022
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How to cite this page:
MLA STYLE: Author. “Title.” Title of container, Other contributors, Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs and/or URL, DOI or permalink). 2nd container’s title, Other contributors.
Magliaro, Ava. ”Tony De Thomasis.” In Archival Research of Italian-Canadian Immigration and Culture, supvr. T. Russo, issue 4: Italian-Canadians as Athletes and Community Builders: Contributions in the Sports Industry, Brock University, December 2020, St. Catherines (Sports in Italian-Canadian Communities – Italian-Canadian Narratives Showcase (italianheritage.ca)). Italian-Canadian Narratives Showcase (ICNS), Sandra Parmegiani and Nivashinee Ponambalum.