LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL: Encino 11-under all-star Robinson Peete following in father Rodney's footsteps

Son of former USC, NFL quarterback is only 10, but has been instrumental in team reaching first Southern California championship series.

Former USC and NFL quarterback Rodney Peete is an assistant coach for Encino's 11-under baseball all-stars, with his son Robinson playing a significant role in the team reaching the Southern California best-of-three championship series, which begins Saturday against Allied Gardens in El Cajon. (Michael Owen Baker / Staff Photographer)

Rodney Peete remains as intensely competitive today as he was throwing touchdown passes at USC back in the 1980s.

His positive attitude and spirit is contagious and even his son's Little League team has caught the "winning fever."

The proud father of four has devoted much of his time this summer to coaching his son Robinson's 11-under Little League all-star team from Encino, which is enjoying a historic season.

Encino beat Thousand Oaks 17-0 to win the North sub-divisional baseball championship Thursday in Quartz Hill and tonight it begins a best-of-three series against Allied Gardens in El Cajon for the Southern California championship -- the furthest a team can advance at that level.

Rodney quarterbacked the Trojans to two Rose Bowls and went on to play 16 years in the NFL, retiring in 2005 after a three-year stint with the Carolina Panthers.

He was hardly a one-sport athlete, however. Peete was also an All-Pac-10 third baseman at USC and was drafted four times by Major League teams before deciding to make football his career instead.

"That was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," Rodney recalls. "I love both sports, I'd slipped in the (NFL) draft and the Oakland A's were actively pursuing me. At the end of the day, having an opportunity to play quarterback in the NFL was an opportunity I couldn't pass up."

Now, Rodney is imparting his knowledge of America's pastime to Robinson, the second oldest of his three sons and one of the two

10-year-olds on Encino's 11-under squad.

After hitting 15 home runs in the 9-10 age group last year, Robinson moved up to the Major (11-12) division this spring and his Cardinals lost in the championship game to the Braves, coached by 11-under all-stars manager Kevin Dicker.

"There's nothing like the feeling you get throwing a touchdown pass or winning a big game, but I get just as much joy watching my son play," Rodney said. "I wake up super early on game days and I get more excited than him sometimes."

Robinson has made an impact since joining the all-stars and Thursday's game was an example. With Rodney shouting encouragement from the first-base box, Robinson went 3 for 3 at the plate, including a solo homer to left field in the first inning and a double in the second.

He hit several tape-measure shots Friday into the parking lot during the team's final practice.

"Having my dad coaching is harder because he pushes me more but it also makes me more determined to hit home runs and win games," said Robinson, who wears No. 16 in tribute to his dad.

"It's important to him because it was his number at USC, he was born on March 16 and that's how many years he played in the NFL."

Dicker, whose son Jake plays left field, said both Rodney and Robinson are integral to the team's success.

"Robinson was in Australia for most of the District 40 tournament, but Rodney was out here every single day working with the team," Dicker said. "He's doing it for the love of the game, he's played at every level and the boys just love him. Our other coach Ryan (Stromsborg) played ball at USC as well, so I'm fortunate to have guys like that helping me."

Rodney and his wife, actress Holly Robinson Peete, are having their annual HollyRod Foundation fundraiser for autism today in Malibu, leaving Rodney with a difficult choice.

"We've been preparing for this event for months and I hate missing it because it's something that's dear to our hearts for 15 years," he said. "But Holly told me 'You're going to San Diego' so that was that."

Robinson, the team's right fielder, is glad his dad will be with him for the biggest series of his life.

"The most important thing he's taught me is never put my head down," Robinson said. "If I have a strikeout or make a bad play, don't get down. Keep playing hard until the end. It would mean a lot to win the (state) championship but we've set the record for our league and we're proud that we've made it this far."

Source: http://www.dailynews.com/ci_23741678/little-league-baseball-encino-11-under-all-star?source=rss_viewed

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