Sandy Bay’s Juventus Reignites Island’s Football Fever

It all began with Juventus winning the island’s 12 team departmental III division league. “It is the third time we are champions in the departmental league,” says Nelson Solis, who works with the children’s teams in Sandy Bay, with 8, 12, 14 and 18 age groups. “It’s a lot of work to make it into second division.” José Santos Guardiola has its own divisions III league with Pandy Town and Santa Helena having the top teams this year.

2024 was the second time Roatan’s Juventus made it to inter regional finals. After beating CD Sampdoria from Sonaguera, Colón, in the semifinals Juventus now found themselves fighting for the championship of the division II “Zona Norte.” On May 12, Juventus hosted the first game at home. It is the first game against El Carbonal FC of Bonito Oriental. Bonito Oriental, a town of 10,800 people was known as the primary location of Paul Theroux novel “Mosquito Coast.” El Carbonal won the departmental championship of III division in Colón.

After eliminating Sampdoria Juventus, the winner of the Northern Region, faced Cuervos FC of Santa Bárbara, a strong team and the winner for the Western Region. In 2023 Juventus reached the finals as well. They lost at home to San Juan de Santa Bárbara and then tied their remaining games in division III. A year later things were looking similar. Two of its better players were sold off and left the island to a division I team.

Islanders are in line to see better quality football.

On May 26 Juventus, led by coach Herlin Hotta, faced off with Cuervos in a home match in Corozal. The setting of the island stadium was impressive – carved out of a hill, on two of the fields four sides, the long southern and short western side, have steep sides covered with trees and bush.

The fans either have to squeeze in the concrete stands to the north side of the football field, or pull themselves close to the 16 foot high chain foot fence that surrounds the football field. The biggest fans get to the Juventus games early in order to get the best car parking spot. Hours before the match a hundred cars pull up next to the field fence on it eastern side, and spectators sit on tailgates of their trucks while watching the game.

After creating some scoring opportunities Juventus took on a 1:0 lead. In the second half Cuervos counter attacked and after a turn-round volley number 20 scored on Juventus’ goal. A few minutes later, again, Cuervos Number 20 player scored when his shot deflected Juventus defender and went above the Juventus’ goalie.

The Sandy Bay team didn’t give up though. After a corner kick the Juventus’ player sent the ball in the right side of the Cuervos’ goal. The game ended with a 2:2 tie.

Roatan had three teams that made it into division II.

The final match took place in Santa Bárbara on June 1. Two times Cuervos took the lead, and both times Juventus caught up. Juventus was a bit lucky. During the game Cuervos hit the Juventus post four times, but couldn’t convert the shots into more goals. After 90 minutes the match stood at 2:2, went into 30 minute overtime and finally into a penalty shootout. In the last minute of playtime Juventus substitutes their goalie for Jean Medina. Goalie Jean Medina is usually a key player in Juventus matches. After Juventus made five goals, Cuervos was faced with a final penalty kick. The Cuervos player shot over the bar of the net and Juventus won the match and qualified into Division II.

The Sandy Bay’s team qualification is especially impressive, before the tournament two Juventus players left Juventus for Olimpia, Honduras first division team based in Tegucigalpa. Sill the young Juventus team is filled with talented, young players that should grow in skills when II division play begins in August. “They [Juventus] have 20 good players, but they will need to bring on some guys for the second division- one forward, two middle fielders and a goalie,” said Leyland Woods, owner of Arsenal Football team and president of associations “Leyland Woods Categories A”. “They also need good, strong sponsors.” Woods has 14 years experience of managing a division II team.

Since 2003, Roatan had three teams that made it into division II. French Cay’s Arsenal team, founded in 1999, qualified in 2003 and stayed there until 2018. At its height in 2007 Arsenal came within a goal of beating Santa Rosa de Copán Deportes Savio and almost qualified to division I.

Roatan’s football pinnacle overall came in 2017 when French Cay Arsenal and Los Fuertes Dortmund owned by Ray Mayorquin competed in Honduras’ north II Division. Dortmund was sold to Tela, and Arsenal was relegated to division III.

Honduras has a well structured football league. It has 10 teams playing in division I, and 36 teams playing in Division II, also known as “La Liga Nacional de Ascenso.” That league was created in 1965 and reorganized in 1979. Below them is the III division called Liga Mayor de Honduras. That division is subdivided into departments and those are divided into region North and South. A winner of each region goes onto division two.

Because of FIFA pressure that is supposed to change in 2025, when four teams from third divisions III will advance to II division. Also, the number of teams playing in Honduras’ divisions I will increase from 10 to 12.

Currently second division is more static than Honduras’ division I, where one out of ten teams leave the league every year. In Division II, out of the 36 teams two teams descends and one ascends. This will also change in 2025, when a winner of each of Honduras’ division III conferences will ascend to division II.

Once the Julio Galindo stadium stands are finished and covered with artificial grass they should accommodate 800-1000 spectators. The stadiums in Corozal and Sandy Bay, with large enough pitches for divisions II matches, are also in line to receive upgrades courtesy of municipal funds. The Roatan Municipality could expand the Los Fuertes soccer pitch making it FIFA regulation, but that would be an expense of major engineering work on the gulley on the east side of the stadium. It is not on the agenda right now.

Roatan Hosts a Sixth Edition of the Largest Bicycle-Tourist Event in Honduras

Some riders carried portable stereo equipment and played music to motivate themselves during the hard climbs of the race. The roughly one kilometer beach trail between Crawfish Rock and Palmetto Bay offered some of the biggest technical challenges of the ride.

While the recreational riders went off pavement the bicycle racers stayed on pavement and rode across Jackson Road before arriving in West Bay after 62 kilometers. The first elite racer was Héctor Menendez who came in with a time of 2 hours, 14 minutes and 9 seconds. Haydee Muñoz, a Roatan native took first place in women’s Master’s category. Her time (1:31:34) completing the 81 kilometer loop was better than the elite winner, Myra Calero who came in with a time of 1:44:52. Muñoz had won the event in 2021. “The PTP is the hardest race so far and I’ve done Tela and Comayagua and nothing compares to [PTP Roatan race],” said Muñoz.

Point 2 Point, organized by Carlos Johnson and Jaime Cabus, is one of several sporting events that bring in tourists to Roatan during the low tourist season of September and October. The Roatan Fishing Tournament, Bay Islands International Half Marathon, Acropola Endurance Run, and Point 2 Point, all bring in visitors to the island. Five hundred participants from 12 countries took place in this year’s Point 2 Point event, 35 participants more than in 2021.

For the longest 20 kilometers run, nine people registered, all of them islanders. The top finisher comes in at 2 hours and 20 minutes. Sixteen locals participated in the 10 kilometer event. In the 5k run 70 people participated and in the 2k run 60 children signed up.

Logistics and organization of the running trails were organized and set up by the Cacique Trail Runners. Cacique organizes cross country races in four places around Honduras: in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, Choluteca, La Ceiba, and Roatan. Out of these the Tierra Extrema race in Tegucigalpa – Ojojona is the most extreme, and most difficult of the races organized in Honduras.

The running course took the runners into Marbella, Colonia Smith, Crawfish Rock and finished in Palmetto Bay housing community.

Giselle Brady and BICA were organizers of the event. The logistics of the race and the setup of the running course were done by the Cacique trail runners. Forty volunteers, most of them, Roatan High School and BICA volunteers, helped with the event. Cacique Trail Runners are considering Port Royal Park for the 2023 race venue.

Island Volleyball Tournament Helps

Roatan has a lot of young talented volleyball players and not surprisingly the island has been on top of the Honduran Beach Volleyball Tour since 2015. Shanna Rivera (aka Madonna) and Cecille Johnson, are Roatan’s best representation in the female category. They won 2nd place at the U21 Central American Beach Volleyball Tournament in 2018 and placed 4th at the Women’s Central American Beach Volleyball Tournament 2019. “They have made history, the Honduran female teams have never done so well,” said Dennis Hill, defender and the new coach of the BIBVA (Bay Islands Beach Volleyball Association). Alejandra Cruz and Soniva (aka Chubby) also performed very well and competed at U21 Central American Tournament in 2019.

Volleyball offers Roatan youth a way to stay away from drugs and crime and develops ability for them to stay focused. “Playing sports, in general, can rescue a lot of kids from staying out of trouble. It is a great opportunity for the kids to travel, to see more of Central America while playing leagues,” says Giselle Brady, BICA’s program director became part of the Bay Islands Volleyball League (BIVL) in 2011.

The Blue Abyss

Freediving Competition Brings 11 World Records

In August 2019 Roatan hosted the 7th International Annual Caribbean Cup Freediving competition, immediately followed by the CMAS World Cup Freediving Competition. “The conditions are perfect here.The abyssal, dramatic steep walls were an important part of the decision taken by the federations to hold the competitions here,” said Esteban Darhanpé, owner of the Roatan Freediving School.

For the Caribbean Cup there were 68 athletes from 26 countries, and for the CMAS World Championship, 60 athletes from 24 countries. In the Caribbean Cup four new freediving world records were set and in the CMAS World Championship 7 new world records.

Italian Alessia Zecchini and Alenka Artnik from Slovenia shined setting a joint world record of 113 meters in the CWF- constant weight with fins category. “The new Queens of freediving”, says Alex St. Jean freediver and underwater photographer of this event.

Alexey Molchanov from Russia broke a free Immersion descending to 118 meters and staying submerged for 4 minutes 26 seconds.

The Island Provides Honduran Team’s Core Players

In 2013 Harper, who learned how to play rugby at school, thought it would be a good thing to introduce his electrical business employees and Roatan Electric Company employees to the game. “Rugby teaches you discipline, courage and teamwork,” said Harper who thought the sport might appeal to the macho ethics in Honduras and he was right. Roatanians and Hondurans answered the call to Rugby in droves. So much so that today 40 percent of the Honduras’ national team comes from Roatan. “It’s the most successful team in Honduras rugby. We are unbeaten in fifteens, we only lost one game in sevens,” said Harper about his Roatan Pirates team.

In 2013 two teams were formed: the Roatan Pirates and a team in La Esperanza put together by Jason Turner, a Canadian expat. The rugby team in Tegucigalpa came together in 2016 and teams were formed in San Pedro Sula and in La Ceiba. All-in-all, there are now six amateur rugby teams in Honduras.

The Roatan Pirates practice once-a-week at the Kix sports facility and 50-60 men and women show up to practice. A lot of the rugby training is focused on building stamina and weight training. The island athletes practice for both quick and regular forms of the game. Rugby Sevens is a quick, high energy form of the sport in which seven player teams play seven minute halves, instead of the usual 15 players playing 40 minute halves.

Taking the Roatan rugby team to a tournament game is a pricy affair. It costs at least Lps. 40,000 every time a team goes to the mainland to play. Honduras needs to maintain a certain number of players, and must play a minimum number of games to be qualified to join World Rugby, the sport’s organizing body. “It wasn’t ‘til January of 2018 that Honduras was accepted into World Rugby,” said Harper.

Over the last couple years Honduran rugby has grown and developed enough to challenge rugby teams from the Central American division. In September 2018 Honduras played its first international match, in Tegucigalpa, against Panama. “We were winning; we had it in the bag. We were up by 20 points in the first half,” said Harper. “And of course the Honduran psyche like even with the football started getting over confident.” The players were becoming complacent, laughing and joking and they took the foot off the gas, they made some mistakes, they panicked. Honduras ended up losing in the first international match to Panama. “It’s disappointing because we were winning and we were better than them,” said Harper.

Then the national team travelled to San Salvador to face their other division competitor. “Same thing happened. We were winning the game, but through ill discipline we had three players in ‘sin bin’ for personal fault and the Salvadorians beat the visitors by one point in the last moment. This was a crushing defeat for Hondurans. We were very disappointed because we were outside favorite to win it,” said Harper.

The Pan-American Games and Olympics linger as a prize for Honduran Rugby but Harper is realistic: “We are not at the level to qualify, yet,” said Harper. The top tier America countries that qualify for the world cup are Argentina, Uruguay, United States and Canada. “Central American countries are the last ones to catch up,” said Harper who is the Honduras National Rugby Team coach.

The players are starting to get noticed. One Honduran born player has started for a team in England. William Harper, 29 Matthew’s son, started playing rugby in La Ceiba and played two seasons in Swanage & Wareham RFC Rugby Union club in England’s county league. “He is the first Honduran player to play outside of the country in a rugby club,” said Mathew Harper about his son.

Pandy Town is a Gold Mine of Talented Athletes

At 15 years of age, Quinn was spotted by a recruiter and taken to San Pedro Sula as a third division reserve player. He remained with Real España for two years before moving back to Pandy Town where he received the best advice from then coach, Orlando Lopez. “If you learn to manage your temper, it will make you a better player, if you play angry, anyone can beat you,” said Pinnace. Quinn says that his father has also warned him about his temper and about the importance of “air”. “My father said that ‘if you don’t have air, a child could beat you in soccer’”, so he tries to stay healthy to keep up with his game. There is no doubt that for Quinn, as for most young men in Pandy Town, around the island, and all over Honduras, sports, especially soccer, are a big deal. Participating in sports also helps these young men better control their tempers. Pinnace also plays basketball, a game at which he is very proficient, but confesses that soccer is his first love when it comes to sports.

Besides being born in a town where most everyone plays soccer, Quinn was also born to a family of accomplished soccer players. His father Alexander Pinnace, was once one of the best players in Santos Guardiola, and was also recruited to play with España at one point in his career. He also happens to be the grandson of one of the best goalies who ever played in Pandy Town back in the 70s and 80s. As fate and genes would have it, and despite the limited resources and opportunities available to island players, it was almost impossible for Quinn to not become a great player himself. Currently the center-forward player for the Oak Ridge Strikers, Quinn has also played with the Warriors, a Pandy Town team that was sold and now plays out of Juticalpa, and with the under seventeen national team when it was required.

“When you talk about high level players, you have many including Quinn Pinnace”, says Luis Alvarado, one of Quinn’s first coaches. “Pandy Town is a mine of talented players that you will not find in any other part of Honduras, but they have the tendency to ignore the rules.”

Quinn understands that following one’s dream and being up there with the best takes preparation, commitment, and sacrifice. “Love, dedication, and passion for the game makes a good player” says the young man from Pandy Town who still has hopes of making his dreams of playing in a major league a reality.

A competitor surfaces next to the freediving platform.

Breath Hold Divers Break Records off West Bay

Roatan has quickly become one of the top five places in the world to hold a freediving competition. It has consistent 30-40 meter visibility, it is protected from wind, it has low currents, depth drop offs to hundreds of meters less than one kilometer from the beach, it has easy access to emergency vehicles and a clinic is just a couple hundred meters from the beach. It’s also one of the very few places where spectators are allowed to watch the competition from the water or glass bottom boat.

Free divers competed in three categories: constant weight, constant weight without fins and free immersion. The diving is performed off a freediving platform that lowers a guide line to which dive markers are attached and a depth sensor informs the judges if and when a marker has been picked up. Counter ballast attached to the line could be released and can lift a free diver to the surface in case of emergency.

Walid Boudiaf, a Tunisian free diver attempted a 107 meter free immersion dive. He disappeared under the water for 3 minutes and 45 seconds… and when he surfaced, he looked around, but wouldn’t take his breath. “Breathe, breathe!,” shouted his coach. It took 8-10 seconds before Boudiaf took his first breath. “It’s not that you don’t want to breathe, it’s Hypoxia,” explained Alessandro Manzato, a Roatan-based Italian competitor. The next day Boudiaf broke his country’s national record diving to 111 meters in constant weight category.

You call this samba. Your body starts to shake and you sometime pass out

Spain’s Miguel Lozano, 39, attempted to break the world record of 125 meters, but passed out on his way up, 29 meters below the surface. The safety crew helped him onto a platform, but it took Lozano almost three minutes to regain consciousness. Lozano has supported himself with sponsorships, classes, teaching and competitions for a decade.

Several times during competition at 40 meters the current would slow free divers down. “The current really destroys you,” said Manzato. Four safety divers watched over the ascending competitors. “The last 10 meters are the hardest,” said Manzato.

In 2017 Roatan’s Caribbean Cup had World Cup status and attracted over 80 free divers. “They were pushing themselves to the max, the guys were going balls out. Almost half were passing out,” said Alex St Jean, the official photographer of the vent.

Some divers, deprived of oxygen for several minutes, begin shaking and lose ability to control their movements. “You call this samba. Your body starts to shake and you sometime pass out,” said Lucas Bulssau, 19, from France who has been freediving for eight month on Utila and has volunteered as an assistant during the Caribbean Cup.

Esteban Darhampe, organizer of the event, wants to bring back the World Cup status to the Roatan event in 2019 and move it to July-August.Two world record attempts ended up in disqualifications “but just the feeling of having them attempted on the island is great,” said St Jean.

Nathaniel Leazer from USA and Sheena McNally from Canada became this year’s champions summing up most meters in all three freediving categories. Twenty-five national records were registered by AIDA and two world records were attempted.