From the Mar 20, 2008 issue of The Cape Codder

Billingsgate tournament renamed for community activist

By Matt Rice

Wellfleet - It was your typical Billingsgate/Charter School Basketball tournament.

The same it's been for the past 16-years.

But this year's tournament was different. An important piece that had been there since its inception was missing, and that piece was Sonny Roderick.

Roderick, the former Truro Recreation Director who was widely known for his tireless work for the youth of the Outer Cape, passed away unexpectedly in December, leaving behind a wife, two sons and a lasting a legacy to the community.

In recognition for of his community involvement, the organizers of the tournament decided to rename it after him.

"It was very meaningful to be able to rename the tournament after Sonny Roderick, who was one of the founders of the tournament and so many more programs for the youth of the outer cape," said Becky Rosenberg, the Wellfleet Rec. Director. "It's our honor to rename the tournament for him."

Roderick's involvement in youth sports started in 1986 as an assistant baseball coach for his son Kurt. He went on to become Chairman of the Truro Recreation Commission.

Expanding the existing baseball and Truro Summer youth programs, Roderick had a passion for the youth of Truro and the Lower Cape.

He also organized after school programs and various ski trips for the three outer cape towns.

On Friday nights, he would use the North Truro Fire Station to hold Kid's Band nights, which would attract more than 80 youths from all over the Cape.

Roderick was one of the original board members for the Lower Cape Youth Football and was a coach for both the girls' and boys' basketball teams of the Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School.

After 13 years of service to the town of Truro, parents recognized his efforts by naming the school's baseball field the 'Sonny Roderick Field'.

A renaming ceremony was held prior to the start of the basketball tournament.

In true Roderick fashion, the tournament was success, drawing more than 35 teams from the area.

In one of the more exiting moments from the tournament, the Gym Rats of Chatham took on the Wellfleet Rec. team.

With the game in double-overtime, Wellfleet's Kevin Fitzgerald nailed a three pointer to give his team a one-point lead.

But Christopher Thomas, from Chatham, hit a game-winning shot from the corner with one second left.

Chatham lost the next day in the finals to St. Francis Xavier Prep, 46-17.

In the fifth and sixth grade girls division, the Provincetown Rec. team defeated the Brewster Rec. team 34-31 behind Emma Luster's 16 points. Carolyn Brooks led Brewster with 14.

In the seventh and eighth grade girls' division, the Harwich Lady Rough Riders, led by Liz Thompsons' 14 points, defeated Sandwich 31-24.

In the seventh and eighth grade boys' final, Jake Malone led the Harwich Rough Riders as they took down St. Francis Xavier Prep, 54-36.

In the Adult Division finals, the Brockton Bombers defeated the Bears, 67-45. Wellfleet's Bryan Grozier led the Bears with 12 points.