Congratulations to the Mildred Ball Award Winner: Phil Vidito
Phil Vidito has spent much of his adult life as a contest official in multiple sports, most notably 39 seasons as a high school basketball official.
Vidito got his start in officiating in 1975, and he has officiated basketball, football, softball and volleyball over the years.
Over the years, Vidito has worked 26 sectionals, 17 regionals, seven semistates and four State Finals (1995, 1998, 2001 and 2006) in girls’ basketball. He also has called 28 sectionals, 17 regionals, six semistates and two State Finals (2000 and 2005) in boys’ basketball. In addition, he called games in the boys’ Hall of Fame Classic in 1989 and the girls’ Hall of Fame Classic in 1992.
Vidito also reached the State Finals twice each in football (2002 and 2006) and softball (2004 and 2010).
A 1972 graduate of Thorntown High School, Vidito competed in football, basketball, baseball and track as a student. He attended the University of Indianapolis, playing basketball there for one season, and graduating in 1976.
Vidito has been a member of the Indiana Officials Association for many years, serving as its vice president in 2002 and the organization’s president from 2003-2005. He also has worked for four years with basketball rules interpretation, three years as a basketball clinician and has worked for several years in mentoring young officials.
He also umpired Little League baseball for 39 years, coached his children in Franklin Township baseball and basketball leagues, and served on the boards for the Franklin Township Little League (1988-99) and the Franklin Township Youth Football League (1989-91). He was president of the Franklin Township Little League from 1992-99.
Vidito, 60, worked for RCA/Thompson from 1976 through 2002. He then worked for Metro Plastics from 2004 through 2013 before retiring.
Vidito and his wife, Diamond, who celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary on April 13, have two adult children – Nicole and Nathan. The couple also has three grandchildren – twins Conner and Isabelle (8) and Landon (5).
