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By David Boyce

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As Northwest Missouri State's men's and women's tennis coach Mark Rosewell left North Kansas City Hospital Tuesday afternoon, he had one goal he was determined to meet.
 
On Thursday evening, Rosewell plans to travel to Westport Flea Market to see former Cardinals Jack Clark's autograph at a Kansas City Baseball Historical Society event.
 
"I am going," Rosewell said. "I hope to get his autograph unless I am told I can't."
 
Normally, this isn't news. Rosewell, an avid sports fan, will travel long distances for Northwest athletics events, Major League Baseball games, tennis matches, and countless other sporting events.
 
"You know Rosey, sports are his life," said Kevin Kemmerer, a Northwest alumnus and friend of Rosewell since they were in kindergarten. "It is nothing for him to jump in a car and catch the last three or four innings of a Cardinals game."
 
But this trip is different from others and speaks of the positive spirit that resides in Rosewell. A week ago, on Dec. 5, Rosewell had major heart surgery to replace a heart valve. Rosewell and his doctors knew it was time. He was starting to complain about shortness of breath.
 
Nineteen years ago, Rosewell had quadruple heart bypass surgery. It was simply time for a tune-up. This surgery was planned out. At Northwest men's and women's basketball doubleheader on Nov. 30, he talked some about the upcoming surgery. His demeanor was quiet.
 
"I think there was some concern," Kemmerer said.
 
Rosewell said thanks to the good work of surgeon Dr. Alexander Pak and cardiologist Mike Montgomery, he came through the procedure in great shape.
 
Of course, having heart surgery is not like getting stitches. You don't leave that day or even after a few days. Kemmerer was there with Rosewell's family during the surgery. He visited Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
 
"The first couple of days he was groggy," Kemmerer said. "My wife and I saw him on Friday afternoon and he had a lot more color. He was more of his old self and feeling a lot better. It has been a steady increase since then."
 
Rosewell certainly didn't need surgery to get confirmation on what he means to the Northwest athletic department. As Kemmerer puts it, he is an institution. It extends beyond his legendary status as a longtime tennis coach. He has recorded 1,046 victories as the tennis coach at Northwest, more wins than any other coach at the school.
 
In addition, Rosewell has guided the men's team to 14 MIAA regular-season championships and the women's team to 12. He has been inducted into several Hall of Fames like the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame.
 
But wins and awards don't come close to defining Rosewell. Everybody who knows him has an amusing story to tell of Rosewell popping up hundreds of miles away from Maryville to watch Northwest athletic events.
 
The support Rosewell showed for student-athletes at Northwest is long lasting. When word got out that he was recovering from heart surgery, many of his former players reached out to him. Some came to visit.
 
"It meant a ton," Rosewell said. "With heart surgery, you are going to get emotional. No doubt about that. We had alumni here, former players and people from Northwest and Central Missouri and my hometown of Lexington."
 
One former Northwest student-athlete who took time out of her day to visit Rosewell on Saturday was Annie Coy Roseberry, who played basketball at Northwest from 1994-98.
 
"During my time at Northwest," Roseberry said, "Coach Rosewell was always a front-row fixture, not just for the men's games but also for the women's games as well. Win or lose, Rosey always had high fives for us or words of encouragement. That always meant a lot to me because he showed his support for women's and men's equally at Northwest. His support for student-athletes is second to none. Rosey is one of a kind, a lifelong friend and is like family to me."
 
Rosewell was pleasantly surprised by the visit from Roseberry.
 
"I was very pleased," he said. "She loves Northwest, too. I see her at the basketball games. It tells you how much she cares about Northwest and how much she cares about the other sports."
 
A day later on Sunday, Kemmerer stopped by and watched the Chiefs game with Rosewell. They also listened to Northwest's men's and women's basketball game at Central Missouri. Rosewell hated missing that game. He always enjoys going back to Warrensburg, Mo. He played tennis at Central Missouri and compiled the best career winning percentage during the 1970s. Rosewell also coached two seasons at Central Missouri while working on his Master's degree.
 
Kemmerer said the best part about listening to the game on Sunday was John Coffey, the Northwest radio play-by-play announcer, mentioned Rosewell in the broadcast.
 
"You could see the look on his face that he was really appreciative of that," Kemmerer said.
 
Even as Rosewell talked about the surgery, getting Jack Clark's autograph and the friends who saw him at the hospital, Northwest tennis was on his mind.
 
"We have a lot of new players at Northwest this year, both on the men's and women's side," Rosewell said. "We discussed this and what is going to happen. Fortunately, the time frame of the surgery works out really well. We don't start playing matches until the end of February and the beginning of March. That is working in our favor."
 
It all means that you should expect to see Rosewell at Bearcat Arena in January. In fact, he will probably be sitting in the stands Jan. 11 when Northwest takes on Central Missouri Thursday evening.
 
"He does the little things for the kids," Kemmerer said. "They love him. I know they are glad to have him. He is there for all sports. It is in his blood."