He was beloved by his players. The street in front of Miami High will bear his name
The stretch of Southwest Third Street in front of Miami Senior High School will be named after Marcos “Shakey” Rodriguez, the beloved basketball coach who led his teams to five state titles. Rodriguez died Nov. 4.
On Thursday, Miami commissioners unanimously voted to co-designate that section between Southwest 24th Avenue and 25th Avenue as “Marcos ‘Shakey’ Rodriguez Way.”
“I know that means a lot for me and my family. It’s going to represent a lot to us moving forward,” said Eric Rodriguez, the coach’s son. “The initial one, when he had his day and they gave him the key to the city, it still hangs in our living room. We see that every single day.”
Tears welled in his eyes while he thanked the commission and spoke of how his father served as a mentor to so many through the years at Miami High and at Florida International University.
“I know all the people he helped,” he said. “I know the impact he had on a lot of people. I’m honored, I’m blessed to look around and know I have a lot of brothers, sisters, a lot of people who I could call family like we were all under the same umbrella.”
Rodriguez holds the best single-season record in FIU history. He suffered a brain aneurysm Nov. 3, and he died in the hospital the next day. He was 67.
Carlos Arroyo, a former FIU star who went on to play in the NBA, told commissioners Rodriguez’s guidance was invaluable to players who sought to play college ball.
“He was a father figure to a lot of the players that did not have fathers,” Arroyo said, taking a long pause as he looked down. “I’m not an emotional guy, but this one hurt.”
Rodriguez is part of a storied basketball tradition at Miami High. He inherited a strong program from Vince Schaefer, who guided the Stingarees to five state championships. In 1981, Rodriguez took the baton from Schaefer and build his own legacy.
This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 2:25 PM.
