Rodriguez Family

The family of Robert “Bobby” Rodriguez is to northern New Mexico basketball (high school and college) as the Gwinn “Bub” Henry family is to UNM and track and field——highly respected and legendary. Bobby and Imelda were married 58 years and having 4 daughters and 5 sons. All family members were great student athletes, basketball players, cheerleaders, beauty queens, coaches, and leaders in the educational, law enforcement, and business communities in northern New Mexico.

The patriarch of the family, Bobby, a legendary and NMHSCA Hall of Honor Coach amassed 362 wins, 10 state tournament appearances, 3 final fours, 2 Coach of the Year awards, and 7 district titles at St. Michael’s, Espanola, Pojoaque, and Santa Fe High Schools. He was a three sport star at St. Michael’s High but he excelled in basketball (all state honors) and was recruited by UNM and UCLA. He aspired to be a U.S. Marine but a knee injury prevented his enlistment, so he played college basketball at St. Michael’s College earning All American honors. In 2014 after his death, Santa Fe Public Schools renamed the Capitol City Basketball Invitational to the Bobby Rodriguez Invitational to honor him and his family. Imelda, the matriarch, graduated from Santa Fe High, was a Fiesta de Santa Fe Princess, “Queen of the Court”, retired from the NM Tourism Department, and had 9 children.

Roberta is a 1977 graduate of St. Michael’s, cheerleader, 40 year banking professional, and Vice-President of Centinel Bank in Taos. Ronnie was an all state and all district player on the 1978 state championship basketball team at Santa Fe High. He played college at NM Junior College, College of Santa Fe, and was Player of the Year in 1980. He played 6 years in the Mexican Professional Basketball Association and is in the Latino Basketball Hall of Fame and National Hispanic Hall of Honor. David played on the same ’78 championship team, graduated in ’79 3rd Place, and played college at NMJC and ENMU graduating in 1984. David has been a teacher for 31 years, coach for 25, Teacher of the Year 1995, Teachers Who Inspire 2006, and won 158 games in two stints at his alma mater. He was named the head coach at St. Michael’s this year, where his legendary father began his career. Ernie played for his dad at Espanola Valley High School, was athlete of the year, and North All Star in basketball 1980. He played college at NMJC, NMHU, and NMMI. He’s been a teacher for 33 years, coach 34, approaching 400 wins (391), 1 Coach of the Year, 2 District Coach of the Year, 10 state appearances, 43 football wins with 1 undefeated season, and 6 years as a track coach. Billy also played for his dad at Pojoaque HS and was all district, all state, north all star, and AAA player of the year in 1982. He played college at NMMI and also spent 6 years in the Mexican Professional Basketball League and an all star for 3 years. Barbara is a 1983 graduate of Santa Fe High playing basketball and was a gold medalist in the 800 medley relay. She played college at ENMU earning her degree in criminology and is a federal probation officer. She has coached 20 years, 15 in Ohio and 5 in NM. Linda is also a 1984 graduate of SFHS, was a varsity gymnast, played basketball, 1986 Fiesta de Santa Fe Princess, and has been in the banking and mortgage profession for 30 years. Mark attended SFHS graduating in 1987, varsity basketball, all district, north all star, and played college at NMHU and Canada College. He is a double lung transplant recipient twice, and earning silver and bronze medals at the national transplant games. He was an assistant girls’ basketball coach at Capital High, but was named the head girls coach at Santa Fe Preparatory. Laura played varsity basketball at SFHS winning district and state in 1988. She played college at ENMU and earned her criminology degree from UNM. She was a NMHSCA All American Honorable Mention. She is a supervisory security specialist at a national nuclear facility. What an amazing family.