A father’s love led Egidio Novelletto to help found an entire soccer program for youth with special needs.

When his young son was told he couldn’t play soccer in Windsor’s existing leagues, Novelletto and Vince Rosati started the Windsor Specials Soccer Program in 1977, which was later renamed the Italian Canadian Handicapable Association (ICHA).

For decades of tireless service, Novelletto is part of the 2026 induction class into the Windsor-Essex County Sports Hall of Fame in the builder’s category.

Originally Novelletto’s son and new friends played games at Glengarda School and when Novelletto and Rosati saw how much they enjoyed it, they expanded programming to include track and field and dancing.

When the Special Olympics started in 1988, ICHA was an eager participant and in 1998 they won the Ontario Championship.

For nearly 40 years, ICHA has hosted a Special Olympics indoor tournament which brings in 400 participants from across Ontario, Quebec and Michigan.

Not yet done, Novelletto and Rosati collaborated on building and operating a 50,000 square foot sports and recreation complex which opened in Windsor’s west end in 2002.  The Novelletto Rosati Sports & Recreation Complex is now ICHA’s home base. The centre is open to the public and offers a wide range of activities including baseball, rugby, lacrosse, field hockey, arena football, shuffleboard, lawn bowling and bocce.

Novelletto’s inspiring efforts to provide recreational opportunities to those with special needs has been widely recognized by the Windsor-Essex community, the province, the country and now WECSHOF joins the admiration club.