Parker Vitagliano-Hill

Name: Parker Vitagliano-Hill

Age: 12

Hails from: East Boston, MA

Job that Pays the Bills: Student, year-round multi-sport athlete, and youth community organizer

Rugby Life:

Parker has been a proud participant in the Massachusetts Bay State Games in rugby for the past five years, earning gold, silver, and bronze medals. She plays for Mystic River Youth Rugby, a club she joined at just four years old. Known across tournaments for her strong voice, inclusive leadership, and commitment to growing the game, especially for girls, Parker is also a trailblazer as one of the first participants in all-girls flag rugby at the elementary level. She helped initiate the first all girls tournament rugby 7s sides this past summer season, taking initiative to recruit girls to participate and leading team training between matches. She also participated in the MLR Championship youth rugby showcase this past year. In addition to rugby, she is a dedicated ice hockey player with the EC Wizards and the North American Hockey Academy Junior Hawks, bringing intensity, discipline, and teamwork across both sports.

Leading like a Boss:

A natural leader on and off the field, Parker frequently steps in to mentor younger athletes at tournaments, leading warmups, organizing teams, and supporting players when coaches are stretched thin. Parents often say, “Go find Parker. She will help you.” Beyond athletics, Parker is a passionate advocate for epilepsy awareness, inspired by her younger sister Alana’s diagnosis at age two. In 2025, Parker was awarded the Epilepsy Foundation of New England’s Blue Skies Grant to launch “Rosie’s Ruck,” a New England Rugby Sevens tournament dedicated to raising funds for seizure alert dog training for children. The event, named after her sister’s service dog, will feature a rugby 7s tournament, education booths, seizure first aid pledges, dog demonstrations, and food trucks.

Parker has delivered university lectures about her experience living with congenital indifference to pain, a rare condition that prevents her from feeling injury in the typical way. She credits sports with helping her develop focus, motivation, and resilience. Whether in the classroom, on the field, or in the community, Parker leads with kindness, determination, and a deep belief that sports are a force for good.

Why we love Parker:

Parker proves that leadership has no age limit. Whether competing on the rugby pitch, the ice, advocating for youth with epilepsy, or building community through service, she embodies courage, compassion, and purpose, making her a powerful role model for the future of women’s sport.