East Bakersfield High School is mourning equipment manager Robert “Bobby” Rocha after he died from a heart attack on the football sideline last Friday.
Rocha, who also served as a kicking coach and mentor, collapsed during the varsity game between the East Bakersfield Blades and the Foothill High School Trojans on Oct. 16. The game was cut short after he was taken away by ambulance.
East High’s head football coach Nick Romero spoke about Rocha’s deep ties to the program and community. “He was a tremendous friend, coach and mentor to countless lives over the years,” Romero told Bakersfield.com. “Our thoughts and prayers extend to his family, friends, and the many lives he touched daily during this incredibly difficult time.”
The school itself offered its own tribute, calling Rocha “a remarkable kicking coach, mentor, and [who had] lasting influence on so many lives.”
Foothill’s Trojans, the opposing team that night, also posted a message of grief on social media. “Our Trojan football family is heartbroken by the loss of East High’s athletic trainer, Bobby Rocha, following last night’s game,” the team wrote.
Dejon Jernagin, a former professional basketball player turned motivational speaker, shared a deeply personal remembrance on Facebook. “I truly appreciated this guy from our football arguments to our Burrito Battles about who had the best Victors on the Eastside or F Street,” Jernagin posted. “But our biggest bond will be our love for USC Football and our inside joke about Izzy.” Jernagin noted that Rocha was one of his very few friends that he absolutely adored.
Taylor Latellee Weldin, who works as equipment manager at Bakersfield’s North High School, described Rocha as his first call when he took his own position. “When I accepted the Equipment Manager position at North High, Bobby was the first person I called for help,” Weldin said in a tribute post. “He helped me learn so much about that position,” Weldin added that “walking into Chili’s will not be the same knowing you will not be at the bar top.” The two had attended Centennial football games together when Weldin was in 8th grade.
Rocha’s death came during what should have been a routine Friday night matchup between two Bakersfield-area programs. The Blades and Trojans were facing off in varsity competition when the medical emergency unfolded on the East Bakersfield sideline, bringing the evening to a halt.
The loss has resonated across Bakersfield’s tight-knit high school sports community, where equipment managers and coaches often move between programs and share knowledge across rival lines. Rocha’s willingness to guide Weldin at North High, a competing school, illustrated the collegial relationships that run beneath the Friday night rivalries.