By Donald Beach
Recently I asked newly elected Vice President Rafael Rodriguez if he wouldn’t mind that I conduct an interview so the IGBO membership could get to know him a bit. Knowing him as not only a fellow IGBO bowler from various tournaments in the Northeast, but as a friend, I was sure he would agree. Raffy, as most people call him, did not disappoint and immediately agreed. I’ve known Raffy for several years now and I knew he would open up and answer the questions with honesty and enthusiasm. I also knew just how busy he was because I happened to be at one of the many tournaments he has attended since he took office. However, this one was different, as he was not there as a bowler, but as the Director of the Jersey Rainbow Classic. Shortly after the tournament ended, we held the interview.
I asked Raffy what his motivation was for running for Vice President. He said “I always knew I wanted to do more with IGBO beyond just being a Rep. The plan was that I would succeed Gene Egan as Northeast Regional Director once he completed his tenure. In 2021, Rob Silliman ran for President, and I heard his vision for the future of IGBO, and I wanted to be a part of it somehow. Being part of the Membership committee was great, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted to do more. The opportunity presented itself when I saw an opening to run for Vice President. I had big ideas for IGBO, and I knew I could make a difference if given the opportunity. Every time I attended a General Membership Meeting, the same question always came up, what does IGBO do for its members? Rob had a new vision. I wanted to be part of that new vision, so I threw my hat in the ring. I knew I had a tough task running against Judy Thompson, a recent Tom Hack Service Award winner, someone who is very well-liked and has done a lot for IGBO in California. But surprisingly I won!”
Leadership is nothing new for Raffy. He was Treasurer of NYC’s Sunday Bowling League (SBL) for 8 years (2005-14). Then in Garden State Gay Bowling Organization (GSGBO) in 2017, he was chosen to finish out the term of the Vice President who stepped down for personal reasons. Raffy was then elected to a full 1-year term, after which he served as President for 5 years. He became IGBO Rep for GSGBO in 2014 and served as Rep for 9 years. Raffy states, “I bowled in a youth league for 2 years as a teen. I joined my first IGBO league in 2003, SBL in NYC and I bowled there for 10 years. Then I joined GSGBO, first as an alternate and sub for a couple of years and full-time in 2013. I was also a part of Pride Bowlers of New Jersey (PBNJ) in their inaugural season (2023-24).”
Raffy attended his first IGBO Annual in 2015 in Omaha, and as he puts it “I truly fell in love with IGBO.” Raffy shared a little from his first IGBO, telling how he met so many amazing people including Ray Nastasi, the only person who has attended every IGBO Annual and Midyear since the beginning. Ray was his Doubles partner at that Annual. Like him, Raffy has attended every Annual and Midyear ever since. Raffy has also served on the Membership, Diversity and Tournament Forum committees. He has put together the In Memoriam presentation every year since 2017 to honor IGBO members we’ve lost. He was Co-Director & Treasurer of the Gotham Open in 2017 and 2019, and Director in 2022. He is the Founder and Director of the Jersey Rainbow Classic in 2023 and 2024. And now … he’s IGBO Vice President!
I asked Raffy how excited he was to be working with our President Rob Silliman, as well as how he thought he could help him effectively. He shared how Rob has been around a long time and has a wealth of knowledge, and he is already learning so much from him. Speaking more of Rob, he stated that “Rob’s main vision is to give back to the bowlers and the tournaments. He wants to move IGBO forward into the future, by advancing our technology and social media presence.” Raffy recognizes how great it is to work with someone with Rob’s experience. He also stated that IGBO needs new blood for it to survive. He shared “My hope is to bring fresh ideas and breathe new life into IGBO. I helped my league survive and even grow during Covid when other leagues folded, I want to do the same for IGBO. Rob is very open to our ideas on the Board, and most importantly, he listens. This is a very exciting time for IGBO and I’m glad to be a part of it!”
I asked Raffy what a few of his qualifications or past experiences in life are that he feels will help in his new role as Vice President. He noted except for Secretary, he has held every board position in leagues, each for multiple years, as well as different tournament positions, so he has learned how to handle different personalities. “As a Director, you learn how to coordinate multiple cogs so that the machine runs smoothly. You learn how to prioritize and multitask. You have to juggle a lot of tasks, accomplish these tasks and be diplomatic about it. Being Vice President isn’t much different. But most importantly, this is a labor of love. I love IGBO, I love the people in IGBO, I love doing the work! That’s the biggest motivator.”
Besides having the desire and ability to see IGBO grow, one needs good ideas. So, I asked Raffy to share two of his ideas that he hopes to bring up to the IGBO Board and membership that will be beneficial to the members during his term. Raffy was quick to answer, “The main thing I’d like to see is more recognition. Most of our tournaments are doing amazing things in their communities, raising money for charities and building bridges within the LGBTQ+ community and beyond. I want to showcase all that, give props where people deserve it. The same can be said about our leagues. At a time when many leagues and tournaments are folding, I’d like to recognize those that are growing and thriving, not to mention doing outstanding community work. People need to see the wonderful things IGBO is doing. I’d like to show that off. The other idea I have is for there to be more collaboration among tournaments. After running tournaments for 5 years, I’ve learned how difficult, yet rewarding, it is to run one. Most people love attending, but they don’t want to do the work to run one. So, it’s very easy for a tournament committee to burn out, because there is no one to come in and carry the torch, the new blood if you will. Tournament Directors and committees need to recognize we’re all on the same team. We’re not competing against each other. We should help each other out. It will reduce the burnout in the long run. This is something we’ve started doing inside the Northeast region and our tournaments are thriving! I’d like for every region to do the same.”
Next, I asked Raffy what the IGBO membership can look forward to from his term as Vice President. He answered “For one thing, I think many people have it in their heads that the Vice President does nothing. They are only there in case the President isn’t available. That’s far from reality. The truth is the Vice President does quite a lot. The job of the Vice President is to serve the people, to listen and engage, and be instrumental in working with the Board to accomplish the goals of IGBO. Something I learned is that the Vice President is actually the liaison between the Board and all the committees. It’s my job to be the voice of the Board at all the committee meetings. While this may be a little overwhelming at times, I look forward to meeting with everyone and helping in whatever capacity I can.”
After asking him all the questions about him and his ideas, hopes and qualifications, I turned the tables a bit and asked what he expected of IGBO membership during his term. He replied, “Be insightful, be supportive, but most of all, be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day. It’s going to take time to implement all the changes we’d like to make. We also need your input. We don’t know what to fix if you don’t tell us. We don’t know how to help if you don’t tell us you need help. There are already some things going on behind the scenes that we hope will come to fruition very soon!” It was wonderful to see that this is already happening from his answer to my follow-up question. I asked what his sense of support from the members has been that he has met and spoken to, and how does he feel about it. Raffy proudly shared “I have to say, the support has been overwhelmingly positive. I’ve even had people say hello to me who I’ve never met before! I hear ‘Hey Raffy!’ a lot! It fills my heart with love and joy that so many people have embraced me and see the positivity that I hope to bring to the role. However, at the same time, it’s overwhelmingly nerve-wracking! I don’t want to let people down. That’s my biggest fear. But by leaning on everyone’s support, I know I’ll get the job done!”
Here is where I got a little more personal and I asked Raffy if he could share something fun or interesting that people don’t know about him or his personality. Sheepishly but smiling, he recalled “My degree is in Theatre Arts. I was a bit of a child star. I was part of a syndicated kids TV show called ‘Steampipe Alley’ which ran for 5 years from 1988-92. You might know the host, Mario Cantone.” I’ve attended many tournaments with Raffy, and this came as no surprise. What is also not surprising is that his kind-heartedness and willingness to help and be supportive is no act but absolutely genuine.
Pivoting back to his new position as Vice President, I asked him if there were any questions I didn’t ask. He simply answered “The only thing would be the fact that I am the first Latino Vice President of IGBO and second one on the Board, along with my fellow Treasurer Richard Perez. In an organization that is often overlooked as being ‘just a bunch of old gay white men’, diversity counts. I’m very proud of this accomplishment!”
Nearing the end of questions, I asked Raffy now that a few months have gone by, what is something you hoped to accomplish and have, he stated “Though it’s not a personal accomplishment, it’s more an IGBO accomplishment, we do have 2 new tournaments coming onboard in 2025: Rocket City Invitational in Huntsville, AL and Chi-Town Classic in Chicago, IL. I’m hoping to attend both of those! It’s still too early to tell, but I am hearing buzz of several cities who would also like to start their own tournaments. I won’t mention any names, but it’s very exciting to hear! I’m here to help in any way I can.”
I closed the interview by asking Raffy what some of the highlights of his first 6 months were and why. He answered with warmth and pride, “Attending tournaments outside my region and the overwhelming response. So far, I’ve been to ORBIT in Raleigh, NC, MIC in Detroit, MI, and RIOT in Jacksonville, FL. People were so gracious and welcoming. Maybe it’s a Southern or Midwestern thing (me being from the Northeast), but actually, it’s an IGBO thing! Every tournament I’ve ever attended in the past 12 years, everyone has been so loving and hospitable. This is why I love this organization so much! The people behind the scenes love it, and it shows! We’re in for a beautiful and bright future! I’m glad to be a part of the ride!”
I want to thank Rafael “Raffy” Rodriguez for giving me this opportunity to let you get to know a little more about him, not just as our Vice President, but as a friend, a fellow bowler and most of all, another family member of our IGBO family. He is the first to tell you IGBO is a family. He is more than willing to tell you why he believes that and why he supports IGBO in that sense, striving for the betterment of all. He will be looking forward to getting to know you, as well as you getting to know him. If you come across him at a tournament and you don’t know him, just step up, put out your hand and say hello. More often than not, you’ll be finding your time getting to know him ending in not another handshake, but a hug.
