Jorge Roman ´
By Tom Ryan
A Man for All Reasons
When asked to write a short piece about Jorge Román , I felt quite honored . After all , I , as the Athletics Director , had the great fortune to hire Jorge way back in the 80 ’ s . I made many decisions in those days , but this hire stands near the top .
Certainly , we ( I ) are going to miss Jorge as he walks with Miriam into a welldeserved retirement , but what he has left here at Saint David ’ s would take volumes , not columns , to recount . Overriding all , however , would be a legacy of grace , elegance , and passion for his boys and his school .
Jorge , from his position in the Athletics department , managed to impact our boys in very many ways . He was a coach , a Chapel-giver , a Salamanca advisor , a filmmaker , a confidante for his students , and a role model for everyone at 12 East 89th Street .
To begin with our spiritual pillar , Jorge ’ s Chapels set the perfect tone . His talks were , in a word , real . Often , he put himself back on the field as a youth , giving the boys a frame of reference for his message . He spoke openly about his family , their traditions , and his passage from youth to adult . His audience , the impressionable Seventh and Eighth Grade boys , were mesmerized by the honest delivery . He would speak to them , not at them , framing his journeys through life as guideposts for his listeners . Jorge could speak about his rigorous pilgrimages , his days on the diamond at St . John ’ s , his family gatherings , or issues on the sports fields in Central Park , and deliver them with his unique style and self-effacement . We know our boys were uplifted spiritually , emotionally , and philosophically , as his messages were given softly and with great depth .
“ In a world quick to judge , rarely have I been in his presence where he didn ’ t exhibit patience and understanding for everyone and every situation .”
I caught up with Dr . Gilbert , and she gushed about the impact of Jorge on the many expeditions to Salamanca . Calling him “ a key ” to the success of the trips , she spoke about his unselfishness when he rose early to bring the boys out for an early morning game of basketball or a morning run , so they ’ d get their “ ya-yas out ” before their three hours of morning class . He was also quick to take a few boys aside to help them wash some pieces of clothing by hand , make a bed , or other “ getting along away from home ” basic needs that morning . His Chapels in Spain allowed Jorge “ to model what a good man was all about .” Dr . Gilbert finally added that “ our boys were better men having Coach Román in their lives 24 / 7 !”
From the Chapel to the cutting room , let me speak of the relatively new ( 15 years !) Rofish Productions , started by Coaches Fishman and Román . For the sports video , Jorge was “ the Martin Scorsese ” of the operation , according to Al Fishman . Jorge took almost all of the pictures , as they worked before and after school , including weekends to get , as Jorge would say , “ every boy in the video , and not just in the team photo .” He would also help with matching the music to the pictures , to attain
16 • Saint David ’ s Magazine