Passionate, confident, and joyful, Kirk Vasquez—donning #8—never failed to light up the baseball field with his hard work and leadership. Although he tragically passed in 2019, his influence remains prominent today; his legacy inspires current players to showcase the traits that made Kirk an outstanding baseball player. “Kirk was lighthearted and caring,” reflects former coach Adam Perez, “but between the lines, he was as fierce of a competitor as they come.” Although “easily the most talented player,” Kirk always put in the work, constantly wanting “to know what he could do to get better.” Not only did he demonstrate exemplary dedication, but Kirk also treated each and every one of his teammates with unwavering kindness and respect. Undoubtedly, Kirk acts as a role model for all athletes, even though he is no longer with us.
Established to honor Kirk’s outstanding memory, the KV8 Memorial Foundation aims to encourage young ball players to follow Kirk’s example by awarding grants and scholarships to players who embody Kirk’s character on and off the field. At Westmont, the baseball program chooses one senior each year to wear #8 in remembrance of Kirk and receive recognition from the KV8 Foundation. As stated in the annual speech given to the Westmont baseball team, “the #8 jersey…[is] given to the player who is selfless, hardworking, and a good teammate,”—a description easily attributed to Matthew Rienhardt, the senior honored with #8 this season. Matthew’s baseball journey began on a preschool team called Tiny Tots when he was just three years old. Finding his love for the sport, he then devotedly committed his athletic attention to Quito Little League—a program Kirk once participated in—leading to him obtaining his current position as a shortstop on Westmont’s varsity baseball team. Graduating in June, Matthew looks forward to continuing his baseball career at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.
A devoted athlete, profound leader, and exceptional teammate, Matthew displays all of Kirk’s cherished qualities. A virtuous accomplishment not only at Westmont, wearing Kirk’s number leads to appreciation by teammates, opponents, and fans alike, who understand what #8 represents—meaning Matthew steps into Kirk’s position as a role model for our entire community. Commenting passionately on Matthew’s contributions to Westmont baseball, head coach Anthony Pianto says, “Matthew is a true leader on and off the field. He is always looking for ways to help his teammates and the program, making the entire team better.” “Matthew’s commitment, dedication, passion, and love of the game along with his desire to be the best player he could be makes him the ideal player to represent and honor Kirk’s legacy,” Pianto raves, “these are the attributes that emulate the type of person and player Kirk Vasquez was in life and as a member of the Westmont baseball program.” Sharing a similar perspective on Matthew’s positive input into the program, his teammates agree that his receival of the #8 uniform was well-deserved. “Matthew’s leadership and acceptance are unmatched and are capitalized by his expert plays and performance every game,” claims senior Tyler Risolia.
Undoubtedly a perfect representation of Kirk’s legacy, Matthew wears #8 with pride, responsibility, and respect. “I am honored to represent Kirk on the field by wearing the #8 jersey,” nobly expresses Matthew, “Receiving this award is a testament to my hard work and dedication as a leader for the program, on and off the field, and I am grateful to continue the tradition of wearing Kirk’s jersey.”
Click here to learn more about the KV8 Memorial Foundation: https://kv8memorialfoundation.org
Follow the KV8 Memorial Foundation on Instagram at @kv8_memorial_fdtn