Former BS High School Student Fights for Equity for Local Basketball Teams
Last updated 2/2/2023 at 10:04am
She was a force to contend with on the basketball court while at Borrego Springs High School. Folks came to watch local high school star, Vanessa Rodarte, glide effortlessly up and down the basketball court with rapid speed and agility, scoring hoops right and left.
In 2018, Vanessa won the coveted Southern Conference Player of the Year Award – that's how great she was! Her passion for the sport and her keen athletic skills amazed the crowd so no one was surprised to learn that she was accepted into San Diego State University (SDSU) to study kinesiology with the goal of becoming an athletic trainer.
Now in her fourth year at San Diego State University, Vanessa took advantage of at-home online learning during COVID to volunteer with BSUSD's athletic director, Tim White. Her love for sports and her passion for coaching lead her to part-time positions as softball and girls' basketball coach.
Watching her girls' basketball team play other teams in our league, Vanessa has come to realize the inequity between small districts such as BSUSD and their larger competitors with far more funding to support athletic equipment and supplies. Her attention to this detail is not focused just on the girls' team but the boys' team, as well.
To address this inequity and make Borrego Springs Basketball Teams more competitive, Vanessa has launched an all-out campaign to raise funds for both the girls' and boys' teams. The goal is to purchase much needed state of the art equipment such as rebound machines, grip mats, a camera to record games and access to the HUDL website for game review videos. All of these materials will help level the playing field between our small district basketball teams and the "big guys".
Vanessa has been successful in raising around $7,000 towards her $10,000 goal. Using a BVEF Grant, GoFundMe, American Legion Breakfasts as well as donations from various groups and individuals in town, Vanessa and her players are thrilled to be so close to their goal.
In Borrego Springs, after school activities for high school students are limited to sports. Sports serve as a motivator for students to achieve passing academic grades as well as offering physical and mental benefits.
If you would like to support Vanessa's efforts, please feel free to donate on GoFundMe (https://gofund.me/0c8d3856) or send your checks to Borrego Springs High School, 2281 Diegueno Road Borrego Springs, California 92004. In the byline of the check, please write Vanessa Rodarte.
Many thanks and Vanessa and her players invite you to attend their exciting games in the Borrego Springs High School Gym. The schedule can be found at Maxpreps.com.
