Visit the links at the end of the story for additional Post-Katrina coverage and memories, including Friday's article in USA Today...

Friday marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall on August 29, 2005.

Although the storm changed millions of lives, it taught us new lessons of resiliency, community, and rebirth. Katrina made history and created a new normal. 

Remembering Katrina
The Fall 2005 Semester began just like normal. Players, coaches, and staff assembled on Saturday morning for athletic physicals and team meetings—the official start of a new athletic year. Chat focused on a storm that was threatening Florida, but that would soon change. 

By Sunday afternoon, the city was under mandatory evacuation orders as a powerful, then-category four storm barreled its way through the Gulf of Mexico aimed for the Crescent City. Players and coaches scattered with their families. The world watched and waited as Katrina made landfall.

Once the storm had passed, Delgado campus police stationed at the historic City Park Campus called Coach Scheuermann with the report. Kirsch-Rooney and the entire facility had faced the brunt of some massive wind damage. The outfield fence was collapsed, parts of the grandstand roof were missing, and several light standards were down or severely damaged. A few hours later, the same officer called with the news that hit the hardest—the facility and neighborhood were taking on water. As soon as television coverage began, the impact was immediate. Kirsch-Rooney Stadium and its surrounding neighborhood were sitting under four to eight feet of salt water from a nearby levee breach. The heartache was instant, the future unknown.

It wasn't until several weeks after the storm that the true damage was assessed. When the Scheuermann family first crossed the gates, the impact of the situation was overwhelming. During an interview with WGNO, an emotional Coach Scheuermann remembered his first thought: "Wow."

The Re-Entry Plan
In October, after consulting with Delgado Community College's administration, the Athletics Department decided to honor all existing scholarships. Because of the late date, the 2005-2006 Men's and Women's Basketball seasons were suspended for a year. In order for baseball to mount a season, the program would be responsible for its own fundraising and means of operation.

The program's "re-entry plan" was laid out during an organizational meeting held on October 6 at Archbishop Rummel High School in suburban Metairie. It was the first gathering of the Delgado Baseball family since the storm. Emotions were high, especially after a presentation that featured photos of the storm-ravaged facility. Coaches, administrators, and staff discussed the situation, explained that it wouldn't be easy, and told those assembled that no one would hold a grudge towards anyone who walked away. No one budged. From that night on, the Dolphins were reborn.

Planting the seeds for a season…
The first step was a field. Delgado Baseball's mothership, Kirsch-Rooney Stadium, was sitting in near-ruin. The grass was dead and caked with mud that crunched with each step. A four-foot garfish skeleton was in the collapsed batting cages. The scoreboard and its steel support beams were in nearby Holt Cemetery. Mold covered the dressing room walls. A large portion of the outfield fence was on the pitcher's mound and jerseys were drying down the baseline fences. Without attention, the facility was on the short list to become a FEMA trailer park like many of its counterpart stadiums and playgrounds across the area. Once receiving the go-ahead from the Delgado administration, it was time to shine the diamond and get the facility back in baseball-shape.

Daily field work commenced, first as the players and staff rebuilt the outfield fence from the posts up. From there, the field surface was brought back to life as fire hoses literally doused the grass from neighborhood fire hydrants. Slowly but surely, "Rags" Scheuermann Field came back to life. Practices commenced and the program took a giant step towards its season, now less than two months away. It wasn't unusual to see a line of players and coaches next to the Red Cross lunch wagon,  which visited the neighborhood daily. Players took periodic breaks from field work to help their neighbors, rescuing possessions from their flooded homes, carting supplies and building materials, or offering a shoulder to cry on. With every member of the 2006 roster hailing from a Louisiana hometown, everyone could relate and everyone had a vested interest in the community's woes. Some players' family homes were untouched by the storm, while other players' families were rescued off their roof tops when flood waters inundated their houses. No matter what circumstances they encountered at home, players and their families made the daily journey through the rubble piles, past the moldy refrigerators and construction trucks, and through the silence to Kirsch-Rooney.

With a home field secured, eyes turned to fundraising. The program took a giant step towards its goal when one afternoon, a cab pulled into the outfield lot while the team was rebuilding the fence. Mr. Richard Colton, an acquaintance of Coach Scheuermann, asked Coach how much it would cost to get things running. After a brief chat, Mr. Colton nodded and left for the day. The next day, the cab driver returned with a check from Mr. Colton for $50,000—enough to underwrite the 2006 baseball season.

Mr. Colton's donation, along with assistance from Baseball America, Whitney Bank, the then-New Orleans Zephyrs, Mr. Gil Meche, Major League Baseball executive Benny Looper, and other donors, secured not only financial support for the program, but also equipment. The program literally started from scratch that season as every baseball, bat, jersey, and piece of equipment was lost in the flood.

(Re)Opening Day…the Return to Rooney
With the loss of field lights, some creative scheduling came in to play. In order to accommodate the annual "Rags" Scheuermann Tournament that traditionally opened each new Delgado season, the first games of the 2006 season were played at Bayou Segnette Field on the west bank of the river. The first pitch of the 2006 season on Thursday, February 9 was the culmination of four months of non-stop labor and love on behalf of the players and their families.

It was three days later, however, when the Dolphins celebrated their official homecoming with a 14-7 win over Lincoln Land in the first game played at Kirsch-Rooney in the post-Katrina era. "The Second Line," Delgado's victory anthem, never sounded sweeter than it did when it blared from the speakers following the win. Then-Delgado Chancellor Alex Johnson called Kirsch-Rooney Stadium "a beacon of hope during a period of despair." The beacon was shining and baseball was back in the confines. Delgado Baseball could proudly say that it was the first local athletic program with a damaged facility to return its facility to full operation post-storm. The rebirth was underway at the Home of New Orleans Baseball. While portions of the roof were still missing and a temporary scoreboard tracked the innings, there were few complaints from fans. The tears had turned into cheers.

Administrators agreed that baseball's rebirth sparked the College's spirits during a dismal period. It served as a welcomed distraction for many; it sparked spirit. The games brought visitors back to campus, who in turn provided their own support for the College's recovery. The Dolphins went on to capture a 34-14 record that season, while making a trip to the Super Regionals in Laredo, Texas. A year later, that special group of freshmen led the program to a South Central District Championship and a berth in the 2007 NJCAA JUCO World Series.

Reviving a local Icon
Like many New Orleans landmarks, Kirsch-Rooney Stadium emerged from Katrina and its aftermath better than ever. While it was crippled by the storm, the "Rooney Renaissance" over the past 15 years has been nothing short of amazing, thanks to Delgado Community College and the stadium's staff of caretakers. From the first steps taken by the 2006 Delgado players and parents, the torch has passed to each team since to maintain and continuously improve our proud home. Major renovation projects like a new scoreboard and message center, new bleachers and grandstand seating, a new backstop, grandstand renovations, and daily field maintenance have made the facility into one of the best in the area and one that can proudly host the next generation of local players and fans.

Following several years of negotiations and planning with FEMA officials, a new state-of-the-art field lighting system was dedicated in 2010, allowing night baseball to return to New Orleans for the first time since August 2005. Members of the Kirsch, Rooney, and Scheuermann families were on hand for a special countdown and switch ceremony, along with representatives from every high school program that calls the stadium home. The lights allowed for a much expanded schedule, and the stadium now hosts more than 300 games during a traditional season.

Marching On…
Fifteen years after that trying first post-Katrina season, Delgado Baseball hasn't missed a beat. The Dolphins have captured 14 conference titles, made 14 NJCAA Super Regional appearances, earned four South Central District Championships, and made subsequent trips to the Junior College World Series (including back-to-back visits in 2014 and 2015). The program has been included in more than 30 national baseball polls ranking the top teams in the nation. More than 100 players have advanced to four-year programs, 12 to Minor League Baseball. In the classroom, the program continues to boast one of the highest academic success rates in Junior College Baseball, with its student-athletes earning associate degrees and consistently receiving NJCAA academic accolades.

Delgado's two other sports, Men's Basketball and Women's Basketball, returned for the 2006-2007 academic year and continue to build on their proud tradition. Basketball's return brought more familiarity to campus as the student-athletes settled into the new post-Katrina world. The Williamson Center gymnasium was spared from flood damage, unlike much of Delgado's historic City Park Campus, allowing the teams to return to their home court and get back to a familiar setting.

The Community's Home Team
On and off the field and court, Delgado's post-Katrina era has established a high level of respect among the local and national sports community.

If Katrina taught one thing, it was the value of community. The program is proud to call the area home as nearly 95% of players on past rosters hail from a Louisiana hometown. Delgado Athletics is a microcosm of the community it serves and Katrina showed not only what this program means to our region, but what this region means to the program.

Matt Adams, a member of the 2006 Dolphins, shared his thoughts on the recovery and what it meant to him personally: "I would definitely say that it wasn't until after my time at Delgado that I realized I was part of something special. We were in the heart of a city about to rebuild, and all we were worried about was rebuilding what all us players loved the most—baseball. From the weeks we spent cleaning up [Kirsch-] Rooney, we formed a strong bond that helped catapult a great program into an even greater one. That year was tough, especially since I don't think any of us would realize what we were in the middle of. Regardless of if we continued our college athletic careers afterwards or not, we were forever changed. I know that season helped form me into the man I am today, and I would venture to say it did the same for every other player on that team. I am forever grateful to have been, and continue to be, a Dolphin!"

Kyle Beerbohm, equally, credits the storm with Delgado Baseball's increasing popularity over the past decade. "Delgado is the community's team and we showed it that year and ever since," Beerbohm said. "From venturing into the neighborhood, to helping our neighbors in need, to giving people something to root for, that's what this program is really all about." He added that it's a cool feeling to know he was part of the first team to reach the field post-K, which led to multiple regional and World Series appearances. "Delgado has become a destination program. It's a program that people want to be a part of. Katrina helped New Orleans realize what we knew all along," Beerbohm said. 

Ryan Kamlade reflects on this anniversary: "In reflecting on Hurricane Katrina, most of my memories consisted of sadness, great loss, and uncertainty. My father and I evacuated to Alexandria, LA for the storm and began making the difficult decisions to enroll in another school for the spring semester due to the uncertainty of returning home. Though most of my memories of the storm were very disappointing, there is one moment I will cherish for the rest of my life. The night before I was going to enroll into another college to play ball, Coach Joe called me and said, "Don't do anything yet, we are going to play." I felt as though the baseball gods were watching out for me during such a devastating time. My father and I knew at that very moment, that we were going to pack up and head home. I could not wait to get home to be with my teammates and begin a journey that many will never understand. I vividly remember getting to Delgado and seeing the massive amount of damage done to the field and additionally the city of New Orleans. It was heartbreaking because of all the great memories played at the historic Kirsch-Rooney Stadium, but my teammates and I knew the importance of coming back. As a team, we helped rebuild the stadium, rebuild our team, and rebuild the Delgado community. Though my Hurricane Katrina story reminds me of devastation and sadness, my story to play for Delgado baseball rebranded my story to something greater. Delgado baseball is more than baseball, it is a family. Coach Joe gave us a chance to rebuild our family and I am forever grateful for those memories."


Delgado Cares
In the spirit of community and in an effort to pay forward some of the kindnesses extended to our Delgado family following Katrina, the Athletic Department established its "Delgado Cares Project" in 2016 following devastating floods in Louisiana. Student-athletes and their families compiled more than 70 care baskets featuring home-care items, toiletries, food, and gift cards to assist families directly impacted by the floods. In the last few years, the project provided gift cards to colleagues in Texas and Florida impacted by hurricanes, specifically San Jacinto College, Wharton College, and Chipola College. Thus far, the Delgado Cares Project has assisted more than 400 families during their time of need. This week, on the anniversary of Katrina, the program seeks to pay it forward again by relaunching the program to assist families and colleagues affected by Hurricane Laura.

For the Dolphins, recovery gave way to renaissance. In the years since Hurricane Katrina, the program is flourishing in ways "Rags" and the Scheuermann family could only have imagined. To take a spin on the familiar movie quote, Delgado rebuilt it and the people came back.

Coach Joe Scheuermann credits the players, parents, and fans that have been a part of it with each passing year. "It's the people that make it happen. Family is the reason we're here, it's why we survived," Scheuermann said.

Not only did Delgado Baseball survive. It thrived.

The field lights will illuminate "Rags" Scheuermann Field at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium for one hour Friday night in the annual tradition that observes the Katrina anniversary. 

USA Today Sports: Hurricane Katrina wrecked their baseball stadium, so they rebuilt it. (8/29/25)

POV Video: Kirsch-Rooney Stadium 2005 vs. 2025

Click here to view a video of Kirsch-Rooney's damage from the storm's aftermath

Click here to view a photo gallery of the storm's damage and aftermath