NSA Hall of Fame: Carmen Rodriquez (2011)
CATEGORY: Umpire
YEAR INDUCTED: 2011
Besides being a Hall of Fame caliber umpire, the first thing that comes to mind about Carmen Rodriquez is that she is a lady who is probably more respected as a person than anyone that has ever worn an NSA umpire cap and shirt. Carmen is a lady of impeccable integrity, grace and professionalism. Carmen (at the time of this writing) has worked for 19 years as an NSA umpire and tournament UIC, served as an instructor at the Ohio umpire school, is UIC to 95 umpires in Northern Ohio and has been an assistant to Bill Suich at the Northern Zone clinics.
Carmen has umpired 10 Youth Fast Pitch World Series tournaments and been a UIC for 2 Youth Fast Pitch World Series. She is also an Adult Slow Pitch umpire working the Women’s World Series, the Co-Ed World Series and also the Men’s E World Series. Carmen has worked countless local, regional and state tournaments for the state of Ohio. Because Carmen is such a versatile umpire, she remains in demand for not only the state of Ohio but for the rest of the country as well.
Northern Zone UIC Bill Suich had this to say about Carmen: “I’ve dealt with Carmen on a professional and personal level for over 20 years. In that time she has exhibited honesty, selflessness, trustworthiness along with the proper respect and approach to the game. She has always represented NSA in an absolutely exemplary fashion in any manner she has worked for us. As a UIC, her umpires would run through a brick wall for her. The teams are immediately disarmed if they do approach with an attitude. Her tournament directors always have the utmost confidence in her handling of the business at hand. As an umpire her cool, professional demeanor was a “thing of beauty” to observe.”
For 30+ years Carmen has been a teacher in the Cleveland Public School District and has been a coach in Volleyball, basketball and has served as an Athletic Director at Garrett-Morgan School.
In 2005 Carmen was inducted into the Ohio Sports Hall of Fame as an umpire. In November of 2011, Carmen Rodriquez became the 1st female umpire and 15th umpire overall to be inducted into the NSA Sports Hall of Fame.