They sit in the top corner of the Sypher Field bleachers, with a sweet tempered dog laying a short tug of a leash away, anxiously awaiting the start of the game. As first pitch approaches they get set with everything they need for an afternoon of Bear Cubs Baseball: an embroidery cloth for her, a pen and paper for him.
Bruce and Janine Rodda and their dog Starlight are the staples of the Bear Cub bleachers. Among the devoted parents in the stands, you cannot walk onto the home side of the field without a cheery “hello” or a gracious smile from these two, make that three, dedicated Bear Cub fans.
Like every parent in attendance, the Rodda’s clap loudly for every player on the team, but more so when their son Nick, the Bear Cubs starting shortstop, takes the field.
Playing almost every game, Nick is one of the many brilliant athletes playing for the Santa Rosa Junior College baseball team this season. Whether it is at the plate or defending the diamond, Nick is a huge contributing force on the team, boasting a .278 average with two doubles and 14 RBIs.
For Nick, playing for SRJC has been an important step in his life-long devotion to the game of baseball. After working his way through little league and Piner High School, the University of San Francisco, a Division I school recruited Nick. However, after his freshman year Nick realized he could not handle the fast-pace of Division I, so he headed to SRJC.
“I just wasn’t ready to play D I, so I ended up coming back here,” Nick said. “I red shirted my first year and have played two years since. It has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. Learning what I can from Damon [Neidlinger, head coach] and all the coaches here, it has changed me as a person and player.”
While Nick does not keep track of his stats, he constantly works to make each part of his game better. But if he ever needs to know the exact numbers and stats of one of his games, all Nick has to do is ask his dad.
Whether it was for little league, travel ball or just for his own personal keepsake, Bruce has kept score, jotted down notes or printed out opposing team stats for most of Nick’s games since he first started playing. While several other factors contributed to Nick’s baseball skills, he can credit part of his beginning fascination with baseball to learning how to keep score as a child.
“When Nick was four-years-old we had season tickets to the Sonoma County Crusher’s, so we went to all the games,” Bruce said. “We had to find a way to keep Nick amused, so we showed him how to keep score. So at four-years-old, he would sit in the stands and keep score for an inning and then run off.”
When Nick moved onto the diamond himself, he stopped keeping score but Bruce carried on with the practice. While Nick does not usually pay attention to the notes his father keeps, one time those notes came in handy.
During one of Nick’s little league games, he took the mound and pitched a perfect game. This is a huge feat for any pitcher and Bruce’s score sheet became a keepsake for the Rodda’s to have of that day. In fact, Nick has that score sheet framed and hanging on his bedroom wall.
The 2012 season is the last Nick will play for the Bear Cubs. He hopes to work hard to earn a scholarship to a university to play baseball and get an education. But unlike when he went to USF, Nick will be ready to play for whatever team asks him.
“While I was at USF, you don’t learn a whole lot, you are expected to know. But I didn’t know,” Nick said. “This time I will be ready. My tools weren’t there the first time: my swing wasn’t there, I didn’t have the arm and I didn’t have the mental side right out of high school. But now I’m a lot tougher and there is a lot more to my game.”
With Nick potentially moving on, Bruce and Janine relish every game they get to see their son play. They have seen how Nick has grown while at SRJC and give credit to the coaches for helping him develop as a player and a person. For Bruce and Janine, seeing their son play every game invokes more than a proud parent feeling, it further solidifies a bond that baseball has created for the entire family.
With parent’s that love baseball and the talent for the game practically embedded in his DNA- Janine and her father both patrolled the diamond – it is no wonder that Nick loves the game of baseball so much. With the 2012 season winding down, you can guarantee Bruce, Janine and Starlight with be sitting up in the bleachers at every home game cheering on number 12.
“Next year we don’t know where he’ll end up. Most likely it will be somewhere out of the area. So we need to come see him and support him,” Bruce said. “I want to come to every game and watch my son. I’m blessed to see him play at this level, and I like to come out and support the team and the rest of the kids as well.”
Janine added in between laughs, “We don’t know where he’ll be. It could be in the Midwest or something… and I don’t think we can go there everyday!”