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Poway Padres coach celebrated by city for his work with special needs individuals

Tony Rubino has been the coach of the Poway Padres for 25 years.
Tony Rubino has been the coach of the Poway Padres for 25 years.
(Angela Brandt )
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Tony Rubino saw a photo in the Rancho Bernardo News Journal 25 years ago. It was a picture of a Special Olympics softball team with the headline that they needed a coach. Even though he had no experience with those with special needs, Rubino was that coach.

“I thought about it and called the number and it all fell into place,” he said.

That decision altered Rubino’s life. He’s still a coach for the team and is now an advocate for those with special needs.

“I was put here for a purpose, quite honestly,” he said. “I get out of it more than I put in.”

The team started with 10 players. Under Rubino’s tutelage, the Poway Padres grew to about 60 players. This year’s Poway Heroes Softball Game will take place on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Sportsplex USA Poway at 12349 Mclevers Court.

Rubino is also the founder of the North County Special Needs Community Foundation. He started the group after talking with parents of those with special needs and learning about the deficits in their children’s’ lives, such as education and housing.

For his work, Rubino was recently recognized by the Poway City Council and honored with a day — Oct. 4, 2022. His cohort Sue Herndon also was recognized at the meeting with the same acknowledgement.

“Tony is a through and through coach and coaches are a special breed,” Herndon said. “What makes Tony unique is his steadfast commitment to working with kids who are really challenged.”

“Tony has built a field of dreams in Poway. To me, that’s a testament to his focus.”

Rubino said he couldn’t have accomplished as much without the help of the City of Poway. He said he’s a bit torn because he appreciated the acknowledgement but at the same time, “Who cares who did it?”

“The recognition was nice. It was just kind of validation,” he said. “We did play a role in it obviously. We needed cooperation from a lot of people.”

Rubino and Herndon helped to secure housing for those with special needs, including at Poway’s Villa de Vida, an independent living, affordable housing complex for developmentally disabled adults with 53 units.

“I feel really great that that got accomplished,” he said.

Rubino is quick to point out there is much work to be done. There are 36,000 residents in San Diego County with special needs, he said.

“Housing, there’s just not enough,” Rubino said. “My goal is to show what can be done in a community.”

Tony Rubino, far right, is seen in this file photo of the Poway Padres.
Tony Rubino, far right, is seen in this file photo of the Poway Padres.
(Criselda Yee)

Becky Polson, whose son, Jason, plays on the Poway Padres, said the community is lucky to have him.

“He’s very, very good and understanding of all the different needs of the family,” she said.

Just this Sunday, Rubino was out at local stores trying to find a job for a player from another team, she said.

“He’s constantly on the lookout for our community,” Polson said. “Tony’s got people everywhere. He’s a great advocate for our kids for everything.”

“He has a special place in our hearts.”

Poway Padre manager Jody Campillo said Rubino is one of the reasons the special needs community in Poway is so vital.

“Our community is so strong, and I’d say Tony is the heartbeat of it,” she said. “He never shines a light one himself.”

Rubino is constantly working and coming up with new ideas, Campillo said.

“Tony does a bunch of stuff that people don’t even know,” she said.

Rubino’s background is in hotels. He played football on a scholarship at the University of Maryland. After college he took a job with Hilton. Upon seeing a list of all their hotels, he focused on San Diego and aspired to move there. After a few years, he got his chance and was offered a position at the San Diego Hilton on Mission Bay.

He later created software for hotel security.

Playing football impacted Rubino’s life greatly.

“The value of sports means a lot to me,” he said.

Working with the Special Olympics is a way to share that.

“I thought it was a great opportunity,” he said.

Recently, Rubino has set his sights on a newer venture — esports. He is starting a special needs team. The high school team will become a part of local tournaments.

“It’s all about being on a team and using those concepts,” he said.

Whether he’s coaching esports or softball, Rubino said the payoff is the same.

“I like to see them improve because I know what that means to an individual to improve at something,” he said. “I know what that did for me as an individual.”

Rubino said he doesn’t plan on quitting coaching or being a resource any time soon.

“I’m not going to give up on being an advocate,” he said. “I feel I’ve been put into this to help these families.”

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