Ominous clouds, wind, rain and chilly temperatures couldn’t keep this important event from happening! The 4th Annual Konrad Reuland Charity Tennis/ Pickleball Tournament took place the weekend of March 22, 23 and 24. The Tournament was held at the Marguerite Tennis Pavilion and Felipe Tennis & Recreation Center. The events are held in honor of Konrad Reuland, a Mission Viejo High School graduate who played football for Stanford, the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens.
Last year this tournament raised over $40,000 for various charities sponsored by the Reuland group and keeping in step with efforts to support important causes, a $20,000 check was presented to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Last year in the Pickleball portion of the tournament there were 85 teams with 170 players. March 2024 316 players gathered to the Felipe location for a record breaking year of 148 Doubles Teams and 18 Single Players!
As the rain held off last year until the end of the Tournament, this year’s tournament players and volunteers dealt valiantly with off and on rain. When courts get wet, players have to come off the courts and wait until the rain stops. Then the heroic volunteers dry down all the courts with towels, brooms, blowers and squeegees. The process is repeated if it starts to rain again.
Amanda Bassett, Community Services Supervisor at the Felipe Tennis and Recreation Center sent a message to the pickleball players after the first day of play. “It may have been a 13 hour day, but the first day of the 4th Annual Konrad Reuland Charity Tournament is in the bag. Despite the rain we managed to play every…. single…. bracket…. !!! Thank you to everyone who showed up to play and brought towels…. blowers from their houses … wrapped towels around brooms…. Shuttled IN THE RAIN with me and helped us save this event. Today we made Konrad proud and tomorrow we will do it all over again.”
From Amanda the next day after the tournament had ended: “Another 13 hour day started at 6:30 AM as we shuttled courts for two hours with what felt like every ladies player in our tournament armed with towels, blowers, shuttles, squeegees, and brooms to dry out our courts… But we did it again. Ladies brackets played and we got Mixed Doubles in before the wind made it really crazy…. We may have spent 90 minutes blowing leaves off the courts for our men’s brackets… But we played. We played an entire 2 day tournament on a weekend where the world said it couldn’t be done… and set a record in the process. Thank you to our amazing refs Cindy Lightner, Jason, Mo, and Maggie. I would never be able to do this without you.”
The weekend started with a jubilant Kick-off Dinner and Auction at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center.
Participants dined on fancy hors d’oeuvres donated by Prego Restaurant. A delicious Chicken and Rib dinner was donated from Outback Steakhouse, Mission Viejo location. Not to be outdone with the savory selections, Nothing Bundt Cakes provided the dessert !
The evening started at 5:30 with guests meandering into the building to meet their friends, and the family of Konrad Reuland. Many of Konrad’s friends were in attendance. Guests heard heartfelt stories from the Reuland family as well as representatives from the many local charities benefiting from the event and tournament.
Trish Kelly, Mayor of Mission Viejo welcomed all to the event and then the National Anthem was sung by Katie Valderrama, from Little-BBBS. Then a short video presentation about Reuland Charity was viewed. Opening remarks were given by Andrew Fine who has taken over helping with these events after the passing of Dave Borelli. Ralf and Mary Reuland spoke about how the charity came to be and how all can “pay it forward” in supporting this special event which benefits local charities Spirit League Special Needs Sports and the Mission Viejo Wheelchair tennis program, in addition to Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Orange County, Donate Life Organ Donation Foundation, and the Lisa Colagrossi Foundation for Brain Aneurysm Education.
Speakers were:
Tom Mone who is the CEO of One Legacy/ Donate Life
Mary Beth Barry who is Konrad’s kidney recipient
Mark Sanchez/ Retired NFL QB, Sports Commentator and Family Friend
Bianca Carranco / Big & Little BBBS
Chase Moline who is Defensive Line Coach at MVHS
Hero Recipient – Jonavan Asuncion
Konrad attended and played football for Mission Viejo High School. Current Defensive Line Coach Chase Moline of MVHS and a former team member with Konrad was there to give an award to Jonavan Asuncion called “Hero Award”, which is an award for excellence in giving of time to serving the community. It was mentioned that MVHS Varsity Football are the State Champs in Division 1-AA this year’s football season .
Mary Reuland spoke about what it was like to be Konrad’s mother and to be with her son during his hospitalization. Those were sweet and tender moments they had together at the time not fully realizing that those would be the last days of his life. Konrad’s Father Ralf and the other speakers spoke about the charities; that Konrad intended to be an organ donor – having the pink circle on his driver’s license. He always encouraged others to do the same, all before his brain aneurysm. One of the 75 people that Konrad helped survive and prosper through his donation was in attendance. Mary Beth Barry joyfully talked about how grateful she was to have received the beautiful gift of a healthy kidney from Konrad.
A Grateful Recipient – An Interview with Mary Reuland
Konrad Reuland had a coincidental meeting with Rod Carew when he was a sixth grader in Southern California. Rod Carew is a retired professional baseball player and considered one of the great hitters of his generation. It was the late 1990s and Reuland told his mother Mary one day, ‘Mom, I met Rod Carew today! I also want to be a pro athlete. The two families had children at the same school. Little did Konrad know that Carew would end up being the indebted recipient of his heart and one kidney.
Carew had a heart attack while playing golf in September of 2015 and what usually happens in this type of crisis is that Doctors will implant a mechanical heart device and if needed will put the patient on a heart transplant list. What is so miraculous through all of this is that Carew’s wife Rhonda and Mary Reuland put two and two together and figured out who the heart and one kidney went to. Then the Carews and Reulands had a wonderful meet up.
Mary Reuland said, “The Reuland’s each took a turn listening to Konrad’s heart in Carew’s chest, with a stethoscope. I knew that heartbeat well. In our last hours with Konrad, I laid on his chest listening to his heart. I thought that I might not ever hear that heartbeat again. With the greatest of ‘Hope’ I had that heartbeat memorized. In my quite conversations with Konrad I told him that he would choose wisely from heaven, that he would have a part to play in all this. When I found out that Carew was Konrad’s heart recipient, I had goosebumps confirming to me that Konrad shared in this decision. I have felt his presence every step of the way and this comforts me. I also told the Carew family that because our son’s heart is beating in Rod’s chest, you are all part of our family now. Rod reassured me that he would take care of his youthful heart and was grateful to Konrad for a second chance.”
Konrad Reuland’s Family
From The Reuland Group:
A Worthy Cause
On behalf of the foundation volunteers, the Reuland family, and the City of Mission Viejo, thank you for choosing to support this event. Konrad Reuland Legacy
Konrad suffered from a brain aneurysm and passed away in December 2016 at the age of 29. Although he was taken from us so young, Konrad lived his dream. After playing football at Mission Viejo High School, Konrad graduated from Stanford University and played in the NFL as a tight end for both the New York Jets and the Baltimore Ravens. His enthusiasm and passion for life was exceptional, as was his love for his family and friends. Even after his passing, Konrad helped save/improve the lives of over 75 people through successful organ and tissue donations.
We are on a mission to raise awareness for organizations that represent the values that were important to Konrad, and also to honor him. The proceeds will go towards the Konrad A. Reuland “Little” Scholarship, where funds are awarded to a Little in a Big Brothers Big Sisters program with aspirations of going to college and playing a collegiate sport. A portion of the proceeds will also be awarded to Donate Life, an organ/tissue donation entity, and the Lisa Colagrossi Foundation whose goal is to spread awareness and provide support for brain aneurysm research and education on initial signs and symptoms, and risk factors.
Become an Organ Donor
Konrad helped save/improve the lives of over 75 people through successful Organ and Tissue donations. It is very easy to do the same!!!
Sign up to save lives. Take a minute to help those in need. Sign up as an organ, eye, and tissue donor. Every registration counts.
Use the Donate Now link to make an online Tax Deductible Donation.
Nonprofit tax identification number (EIN) is 84-2338649.
Article/ Review
Susan Espenschied
With Mary Reuland
And Amanda Bassett
Photos Credit: Susan Espenschied
Publisher/ Editor
Aliso Laguna News
