This year the Pepperdine baseball team’s fundraising golf-tournament was different than the lighthearted relaxing day of golf it has been in the past. On Monday Nov. 16 friends family and supporters of the team played with particular inspiration and remembrance of the lost life of a teammate brother and friend.
The fundraising tournament on Monday named the Patrick Rooney Memorial Golf Tournament this year honored the baseball team’s former third baseman who died alongside his father in a plane crash Jan. 28. His younger brother senior Colin Rooney is the current starting third baseman for the Waves and looks to his brother’s compelling legacy as motivation both on and off the field.
“The tournament went very well Rooney said. Everybody enjoyed playing golf. Obviously it was a little different this year than it has been in the past because it wasn’t the Patrick Rooney Memorial Tournament before. Everybody thought obviously that there was something sad this year. But it was also that everybody’s having fun doing something that Patrick really loved.”
The tournament organized by head coach Steve Rodriguez brought together about 90 golfers many of whom were alumni current players or family of the team. It was held at Moorpark Country Club and began at 9 a.m. lasting through the afternoon. The money raised by the tournament directly benefits the baseball team in assisting graduating seniors travel budgets facility improvements and equipment.
When Patrick’s death happened coach Rodriguez felt intent on having the event memorialize the former player who would have undoubtedly been one of the first to “tee-up” in support of the team.
“He was a person who was literally at every event that we had Rodriguez said. Not only was he an amazing person player husband but he also showed that events like these are about involvement. It’s about much more then the sheer amount of donation. It’s about being there and truly showing those orange and blue colors.”
Patrick Rooney played for the Waves from 2002-2005 helping to lead the team to two West Coast Conference titles and three NCAA regional berths. Rodriguez remembers his valuable contribution to the team as one of great consistency.
“That’s what made him so good Rodriguez said.
His brother Colin says that he always looked up to his brother on the baseball field.
In baseball he influenced me in always wanting to be like him he said. [Patrick] was a phenomenal defensive player. I never quite got to that level. I was always relying on him to help me out … I’ve always had a tough time even before he was gone in that there were times I wanted to quit. He was always there with the right words to tell me. He was a great big brother.”
With Colin Rooney as the current third-base man Patrick’s legacy continues to influence the team. As Colin explains both he and the coach have a greater inspiration on the field than they have in the past.
“I have more of a desire to want to play hard especially last season Roony said. It was a month after [Patrick’s death] happened and it was my first season at Pepperdine. I knew Patrick would want me to continue to play baseball. I was playing in memory of him…. The team felt bad about it and I was a part of the team and they really cared about me. It affected them as well. The coaches had a big reason to want to win in memory of Patrick.”
As a tournament memorialized to his older brother the event held special meaning to Colin in symbolizing how Patrick influenced the Pepperdine community outside of baseball as well.
“Its important to me because I know Patrick didn’t just have an effect on my life and my family’s life; he had an effect on his teammates and friends and the coaches Colin said. He had a place in all their hearts as well. And he was a great friend and a lot of people loved him.”
As the baseball team prepares for the start of the 2009-2010 season a special motivation will be with the team in Patrick Rooney’s legacy. In particular Patrick’s former third-base spot will be filled with one who is playing for more than a mere win.
“Losing my brother has affected me because I played baseball for the first time in my life fully for the Lord Collin said. In doing so I played for my brother too because he is with him.”
