LA JOLLA, Calif. - Construction of the Leon T. Roach Memorial project got underway last week, as brush was cleared from the south end of the UC San Diego Track and Field Stadium to make room for new spectator seating in honor of the former Triton student-athlete who passed away in 2009.
The project will install several block wall terraces adjacent the pole vault pit at Triton Stadium, effectively increasing seating capacity in the area by approximately 500. The area will also serve as a memorial to Roach, a former pole-vaulter who was injured during a training exercise on September 3, 2009 and passed away two days later.
The memorial project is being funded by proceeds from the inaugural Leon T. Roach Vault-A-Thon held last February on the UCSD campus. The Triton track and field program will host the event again in 2011 to complete the project and provide opportunities for those involved to assist in the construction.
"We are very excited to begin construction on the memorial for Leon," head men's track and field coach Tony Salerno said. "This is a spectacular memorial to a fine young man. The spectator terraces will essentially create a pole-vault stadium and, in my experience, I have seen nothing that compares to this at any university in the country."
Several departments on campus have had a hand in getting the memorial project underway. In addition to the UCSD Athletics Department, UCSD Sports Facilities, Facilities Management and the Chancellor's Office, among others, have teamed up to make the vision a reality.
"It has been heartwarming to see all the organizations on campus pull together to make this happen," Salerno continued. "This will make what is already known as one of the best track and field facilities in southern California even better."
Roach was a sophomore Physiology and Neuroscience major in Revelle College and spent one season with the UCSD track and field team. A native of Huntington Beach, he came from a family of successful pole-vaulters. His father, Leon Roach II, competed at the University of Hawaii in the 1970s and had aspirations of competing in the Olympics, while his half-brother Curtis Hendrick was standout at Marina High School.
"Many thanks to Director of Sports Facilities Don Chadwick and Director of Athletics Earl Edwards for paving the way on this greatly needed improvement," Leon Roach II said. "Our family is so thankful for everyone at UCSD. Our son absolutely loved it here".
The 2011 Leon T. Roach Vault-A-Thon is scheduled for Saturday, February 5 at Triton Stadium. Last year's event featured more than 40 athletes, bringing in over $15,000 to put towards the project.
