Memory Lane: Rodriquez’ sparkling BVA coaching career includes 5 WPIAL softball titles
Veteran Belle Vernon Area softball coach Tom Rodriquez has forged a Hall of Fame career by building his program on three core principles: 1. Pitching. 2. Defense. And 3. Timely Hitting.
Rodriquez was a baseball player during his high school days at Mon Valley Catholic High School and lettered all three years from 1960 to 1962.
He recalled one of his bright moments from his career.
“Even before that I have a memory from playing Little League,” Rodriquez said. “I was 11 or 12 and I had an unassisted triple play. There were runners on first and second and I was playing second base. A line drive came to me and I stabbed it and stepped on second, the kid kept coming from first and it was something you don’t forget.”
Rodriquez moved to Belle Vernon in 1974. His children were “like six or so” at the time. He got involved with a local youth group, the Washington County Youth Organization, that had baseball, softball, and football. He started coaching baseball in 1977.
“My kids were getting older and they were involved with football and baseball and I was around them most of the time,” Rodriquez reported. “Then I had a daughter who was a couple of years behind them and she got interested in softball. She started playing for a traveling team and I followed her and coached her in the recreation league. I got very involved with that youth organization. Next year it will be 40 years that I have been involved with them.”
Rodriquez started coaching softball in 1980. Belle Vernon needed another middle school team in 1990 and he was asked to find a coach. He could not. A longtime employee of Fox Grocery, he went to his boss. Normally he worked 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day. He asked if he could work 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. during March thru early May. His boss agreed and the rest is history.
“I am proud that I helped so many athletes,” Rodriquez offered. “I even started the basketball leagues at Belle Vernon.”
From 1991-1994 Rodriquez coached BVA Middle School in slow-pitch softball and posted a record of 49-15. He coached BVA Middle School fast-pitch from 1995-2001 with a record of 108-7.
In 2002 the Belle Vernon High School coaching position in softball opened up and Rodriquez applied and got the job.
“I was happy at the middle school,” Rodriquez recalled. “My assistant coach knew about the opening and wondered if I would be interested. I said if you are going to stick around I would be interested. I went for it and luckily I got it.”
Since 2011 Rodriquez has been running a softball pitching clinic through the Washington Township Youth Organization for Belle Vernon girls in grades 1 through 8. It has served as a great feeder system for Belle Vernon High School softball.
“It’s no secret that to win in softball you need great pitching,” Rodriquez stated.
Rodriquez has been blessed with great players like pitcher Bailey Parshall who is currently starring at Penn State and Brook Panepinto who had a great career at Robert Morris. Rodriquez’ current assistant coach, Haley Bashada, starred for BVA and Cal U.
She is thrilled to be working with Rodriquez.
“He was always such a great mentor,” Bashada said. “He really trusted me to work really hard and do my thing, especially as a pitcher. He has always looked upon me as a great person and I was really honored when he asked me to be a coach with him.”
Rodriquez, who will be inducted into the Mid Mon Valley Hall of Fame in June, has a 303-143 record at Belle Vernon. The Leps have won five WPIAL championships. They have 36 playoff wins during Rodriquez tenure.
“I am humbled to be inducted into the Mid Mon Valley Hall of Fame,” Rodriquez stated. “I think there’s a lot of people deserving. If it wasn’t for my coaches and the great players I’ve had I wouldn’t be close to being there.”
Belle Vernon made an improbable and emotional run to their fifth WPIAL title last season knocking off previously unbeaten Elizabeth Forward and stunning No 2 Montour on the way to the title. It was a very trying and emotional season for Rodriquez and the Leopards.
On March 28, barely a week into the regular season, Rodriguez lost his wife, Linda, who died at the age of 77. A staunch supporter of the Leopards over the years, Linda always made sure to keep tabs on the team and get to know the players, even in her older years. Surely nobody could have blamed Rodriguez, 78, if he decided to hang it up and call it a career right then and there, but he insists the thought never crossed his mind.
The team rallied around their coach. A memorial placed just beyond the centerfield fence at Belle Vernon’s softball field honors coach Tom Rodriguez’s late wife, Linda. Then came a miraculous run to the title. The Leopards are one of eight WPIAL schools to win five softball titles, with four of those championships coming in the past eight seasons.
“I guess I’ll never forget this one,” Rodriquez explained. “It was a long season. I just want to thank all my players. Seriously, they were wonderful. Always asking me how I’m doing.”
The home field of Belle Vernon is named “Tom Rodriguez Field.” Rodriquez was named the 2023 Pittsburgh Union Progress softball Coach of the Year. All coaches in the WPIAL and City League were considered for the inaugural award. He also was named the Herald-Standard Big School Coach of the Year.
Rodriquez, 79, is still going strong and has no plans to retire.
“Someone asked me when I was going to quit,” Rodriquez said. “I responded when you see my obituary I am done. I’ve got to keep busy, especially now. I plan on coaching as long as I’m healthy and I’m in pretty good shape. I work out five days a week.”
George Von Benko’s “Memory Lane” column appears in the Sunday editions of the Herald-Standard. He also hosts a sports talk show on WMBS-AM radio from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.