By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

The windswept Unionville High School baseball field became the site last Saturday afternoon to a memorial service for a friend, a coach, a mentor and a family member who richly deserved so many more innings in his life.

Before 200 mourners gathered in the infield grass – including more than one dozen of his former players, each dressed in uniform – long-time Unionville baseball coach Daniel Urdaneta was remembered in spirit and camaraderie, both in words and in music; in fact, the “Star Spangled Banner” was in fact a pre-recorded version performed by Urdaneta before a game last year. 

Urdaneta recently died at the age of 40 at his home after a short but courageous battle against cancer, leaving behind his wife, Kris and his son, Luca; his parents Nora Perdomo and Douglas Urdaneta; and several relatives.

As Urdaneta’s prized Harley Davidson motorcycle gleamed in the sun behind home plate, two of his fellow coaches spoke about their respect for Urdaneta.  

“Today, we gather to celebrate the life of ‘Coach Urd’ and as we reflect on his life, one words stands out above all others: happiness,” said UHS varsity baseball coach Chris Valis. “He was the embodiment of joy, not just in his infectious laughter, but in the way he saw the world. He had a gift for finding joy in the simplest of moments: the high-five, the laughter, the brotherhood and the way he made us feel valued, no matter where we stood in the line-up.

“So today, as difficult as it may be, I challenge all of us not to feel sorry for Coach, but instead, be happy for the life that he lived and the countless lives that he touched. Even as sick as Coach became, he never felt sorry for himself. He never asked for our pity. Instead, he challenged all of us. He challenged his players to work harder than ever, to embrace the grind and to use this amazing game as an inspiration for how to live their lives through hard work, accountability and teamwork. He challenged our coaches to support our players, not just now, but throughout the rest of their lives. He challenged us to never give up on anyone, and that it was up to us to bring out the best in every player who steps on our field.”

 “I am going through all of the text messages that I had with him, and it has dawned on me that there is a common theme to them: they were all positive,” said Chris Gebhart. “I never heard him say a bad thing about anybody. I spent many hours in the car with them trying to convince him how awful some people were, and his response was always, ‘No. This person is okay. Don’t be like that. It’s all good.’ 

“Every time I saw the guy, no matter what mood I was in, he made me smile.”

During the ceremony, Luca Urdaneta gifted his father’s baseball jacket to one of his former players, Gavin Griffith, who then approached the podium to speak about his coach and mentor.

“I never thought I would ever have to say ‘goodbye’ to him,” Griffith said. “We can honor his memory and his love for us and the game by being a role model that he was for us. I will be grateful for every memory that we had together, especially when our JV team ordered pizza from the dugout during a game, and when someone stole his donuts, and he made us run around the campus.

“I will be grateful for every one of those memories.”

Donations in Urdaneta’s memory can be made to the UHS Diamond Club. Donations can be sent via PayPal to [email protected] or by mailing checks to UHS Diamond Club c/o Chris Manning, P.O. Box 958, Unionville, Pa. 19375.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].