New Haven -- The James Vick Foundation is pleased to announce our 2024-2025 All JVF Team! These athletes exemplified our principles through their character, their heart, and their commitment to the organization.
After a tremendous year of competition, after a record breaking year for our mission, we are so excited to present our Liberty Bank Athlete of the year, as well as the All-JVF Team.
Kayla Wilonski and Gina Madonick conduct an interview following a victory over Competitive Edge
Athlete of the Year
Gina Madonick, Amity Connecticut, Class of 2024, Sacred Heart Academy
Captain Gina Madonick of the JVF Dragons is the 2024 Liberty Bank James Vick Foundation Athlete of the year, and it could not go to a more deserving human being. Gina is not only a leader, not only an example, or even a standard, Gina was much more than that to the girls, and the coaching staff.
Gina was the emotional center of the Dragons, a beacon for the entire organization, a loving road map that helped navigate the ball club through a bevy of challenges, and adversity.
The Amity native inspired the 2024 JVF Dragons like no other athlete has in the history of this organization.
The girls gravitated towards her, all of them, and with good reason.
Gina led with kindness, humility, toughness, and an unbeliveable sense of humor. The girls she played with, young, and old, looked up to her, and followed her.
It wasn't just Gina's personality or her leadership that made her athlete of the year, the most consistent, commanding, and skilled defender on a nightly basis. She never took a backwards step, she never stopped trying, she always fought back.
Aside from anchoring a defense that reached the Final Four of the Yale Series, Gina never complained, she never wilted, relentlessey positive, and she was ALWAYS there for her team, and the staff. Gina engendered universial respect without ever asking for it. An alpha because of her grace, not because of her voice. A class act, a ray of sunshine, and a generational leader. Gina is now at Holy Cross receiving an education, and changing the world.
2024 ALL-JVF Team
Kayla Wilonski: Graduate, Wallingford Connecticut, Class of 2024, Sacred Heart Academy
Kayla concluded her JVF Career as perhaps the greatest athlete in program history, winning every award there is to win. All Conference, All State, All Academic, and an unqestioned leader of girls within this organization. Lived for the practice sessions, repetition, the grind, the ultimate example of what it means to be dedicated to the sport, and the ball club. Over her two years, Kayla redefined competitive excellence at the JVF including her transcendent performance against the AGH Field Hockey Club in the spring of 2022.
Kayla led the 2024 Dragons through the first ever Yale Series, through the winter training camp, through the season, she was consistent, accountable, and spectacular on the field of play. Kayla is now at Wheaton College, getting minutes, continuing a Field Hockey conquest that we all were so lucky to be a part of.
Ava and Bella Raffone conduct an interview at JVF Dragons Training camp in January 2024
Bella Raffone: Junior, Wallingford Connecticut, Class of 2024, Mark T Sheehan High School
Bella Raffone skyrockted to JVF prominence in 2024. A classy brilliantly talented athlete with humility, and a grounded approach to sport. Bella's physical gifts are only matched by her conduct as a teammate, and friend. Bella's speed, and willinginess to engage in combat, made her dangerous at all times, and by exentsion, gave the JVF Dragons a different dimension. Bella's athletcism, and her aggression, allowed the team to keep pressure on opposing defenses. Bella has committed to Central Connecticut State University to play Women's Lacrosse for the Blue Devils. Bella was also Second Team All-SCC for the Sheehan Women's Field Hockey Team this past Fall. Bella will now return to the JVF Dragons as a Captain. We could not be more proud of her, and her incredible accomplisments as an athlete.
Giada Broccoli: Senior, Hamden Connecticut, Class of 2025, Hamden High School
"G" had one of the greatest years an athlete could possibly have at the high school level, and emerged as a singular competitive force for the JVF Dragons. Starring in Women's Ice Hockey, Women's Field Hockey, and Women's Lacrosse for Hamden. High School. Giada was all conference in multiple sports including a First Team All State selection in Field Hockey. Amid a dream run this past fall to the SCC Finals, Giada committed to Assumption University to continue her development as an elite competitor while enjoying a first class education. Giada will lead the Dragons into their first ever RCC Championship Tournament next June. Giada embodies the competitive spirit of the JVF, a face of the organization now, and for years to come. There simply have never been anyone like her.
Jillian Lydon: Senior, Orange Connecticut, Class of 2025, Amity High School
For the last 3 years Jill has continued to add to a legacy that will one day be seen as incredibly consequential to the growth of this organization. In 2024 Jill cemented herself as a face of the organization, while taking major steps forward on the field. Jill's leadership and patience, her compassion for her teammates, it makes her an all time great. Jill was the heart of the JVF this past year, the steady hand that kept us all afloat, and cognizant of the larger mission at hand. Jill also was a Second Team All-SCC selection this past fall as a Captain of the Amity Women's Field Hockey team. The rise of the JVF Dragons is inextricably linked to this young lady, she grew this team with her love, belief, and serious talents as an athlete.
Brooke Ouellette, Junior, Westbrook Connecticut, Class of 2026, Westbrook High School
Brooke established an unprecendented track in this program during the 2024 season. The Westbrook native entered the organization as highly touted athlete and now has emerged as one of the best Field Hockey players in the country. Those close to this organization believe she will most likely become the first Division 1 Field Hockey player in the history of the program. Brooke was Co-Player of the year in the Shoreline Athletic Conference, First Team All Conference, First Team All State, and you get the sense she is just getting started. We have never had a Sophmore compete at this level, and we can't imagine how good she is going to be as a Junior. Adding to her superlatives as an athlete, is her calm, kind, understanding deameanor, a true blue chip prospect.
Brooke Ouellette competes in the Yale Series against CT Elite (JVF)
Ava Raffone, Senior, Wallingford Connecticut, Class of 2025, Mark T. Sheehan High School
Ava Raffone established herself as a flat out star at the JVF in 2024. A unique and incepient talent with unparalled 1v1 stick skills. Ava dazzled teammates, coaches, and opposing competitors this past year. The 2024 Yale Series was a national tournament with some of the best athletes in the country, and Ava was clearly among them. The dynamic midfielder has genuis level offensive instincts, she can smell goals before they happen, and there is very few defenders in America that can stay with her without help. Ava also displayed cool, calm leadership in high impact situations, inspiring her teammates, and making some of the biggest plays of the entire season through sheer aggression, and belief. Ava enters the 2025 season as a cornerstone athlete within the organization, and widely respected amongst teammates and coaches alike. Ava was a First Team All-SCC selection this past fall, and Second Team All-State!
Lucy Dickenson, Senior, Cheshire Connecticut, Class of 2025, Cheshire High School
Lucy "Luuch" led the JVF Dragons in goals scored during the 2024, and seemingly was involved in every big play the team made. The Cheshire product demonstrated world class speed, stick skills, and toughness, she was by far one of the most explosive forwards in American club field hockey last season. Lucy is a skilled, a tough as nails competitor that can play on any pitch, anytime, anywhere, and has proven it at the highest levels of competition. Lucy is famous for her easy going demeanor, unassuming approach to her stardom, and an unwavering respect for her teammates, and the orgnaization. For whatever reason, Lucy was stunningly unable to put her generational skillset on full display this past fall during the High School season, but is now set to break records this spring, chase a national championship appearance with the JVF Dragons, and then go on to play Division 3 Field Hockey at Keene State College. Lucy committed to play college Field Hockey earlier this year despite dealing with some adversity in the process, and she never complained, not once. Lucy's value to our organization, and her importance to our big picture is beyond measure.
Bianca Ciaburro, Graduate, North Haven Connecticut, Class of 2024, Sacred Heart Academy
Bianca was the backbone of the entire team in 2024, and was an emotional leader for much longer than that. She stands alone as the best goalie the JVF has ever seen, and a viable rallying point for the entire organization. A life time dancer, there has never been someone in the cage with her athleticism, flexbility, quick feet, and intense focus. A unicorn of a goalie, and a once in a generation leader. Smiling, happy, no negativity, and extremely composed at all times. Bianca also was a 2nd team All-SCC selection in 2023, and played a massive role in the Dragons run to the Final Four of the Yale Series. Bianca impact in 2024, her critical leadership during uncertain times, was as responsible for her team's success as anyone on the roster. The JVF Dragons would not be in the position they are currently in if Bianca isn't on the team for two consecutive years, there is simply no way it would have happened.
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