Harbor’s unbeaten beach volleyball team repeats as SCCAL champ
Harbor High’s beach volleyball team swept Soquel 5-0 to cap a perfect regular season at Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Friday. Harbor went 10-0 overall, 6-0 in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League. It’s the Pirates’ third straight league title and second straight undefeated season. It was senior day on the beach and and […]
Harbor High’s beach volleyball team swept Soquel 5-0 to cap a perfect regular season at Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Friday.
Harbor went 10-0 overall, 6-0 in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League. It’s the Pirates’ third straight league title and second straight undefeated season.
It was senior day on the beach and and the teams honored Soquel seniors Bella Hogan and Lily Juarez-Sapone as well as Harbor’s 10 seniors, including Isla Johnson, Maren O’Farrell, Tea Stockwell, Grace Stryker, Zoe Kemos, Sabine Kemos, Callahan Stone, Sandy Enriquez and Zara Leiben.
The Pirates won all five matches in straight sets.
Johnson and O’Farrell beat Lana Walding and Emma Bendetti, 21-10, 21-18 at No. 1.
Stockwell and Stryker beat Jaden Coleman and Gemma Reyes 21-11, 21-17 at No. 2
Dylan Schutz and Liberty Niesen defeated Hogan and Juarez-Sapone 23-21, 21-9 at No. 3
Cecile November and Lise Corstorphine beat Alexis Monahan and Rebecca Aiello 21-8, 21-6 at No. 4, and the Kemos sisters defeated Ruby Hyatt and Abby Harawy 21-7, 21-6 at No. 5.
The SCCAL pairs tournament takes place on Thursday and Friday.
College baseball
At Feather River 12, Cabrillo 4: Diego Grabiel had a hit, one RBI, and a run scored but the Seahawks lost in Game 1 of the teams’ best-of-three CCCAA NorCal Regional first round playoff series Friday in Quincy.
Nico Hilger had two walks, one RBI and scored a run for the No. 21 seed Seahawks (18-22). Donovan Thorpe had a hit and one RBI, and Adrian Castaneda and Jay Patterson each scored a run.
Shane Danley had four hits, four RBI, and scored twice for No. 4 Feather River (32-9). Dylan Marx hit three doubles, had one RBI, and scored three runs.
Jayden Andrade earned the win, and Oscar Knapp took the loss.
Game 2 is Saturday at 2 p.m.
Boys track and field
PCAL Mission Championships: Watsonville senior Nathaniel Aceves-Aguilar took first in the long jump (19 feet, 11.5 inches) and triple jump (39-06.75), and second in the 110 hurdles (18.71 second) at the Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division Championships at Rancho San Juan High in Salinas on Friday.
1 of 4
Watsonville High’s Jocelyn Guzman competes in the 100-meter hurdles race during the PCAL Mission Division Championships in Salinas on Friday. Guzman finished third with a time of 18.43 seconds. (Raul Ebio – Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Expand
King City (169 points) took first out of six teams, and the Wildcatz (77) were third.
Wildcatz junior Lisandro Pantoja took second in the discus with a school-record distace (156-5) and third in the shot put (43-4).
Watsonville freshman Noel Navarro took second in the 300 hurdles (44.36), and senior Gerardo Acosta-Perez took third in the 110 hurdles (18.75).
PCAL Cypress Championships: Monte Vista Christian junior Owen Bingham took first in the 110 hurdles (18.81) and second in the 300 hurdles (47.66) in the PCAL Cypress Division Championships at Pacific Grove High on Friday.
Pacific Grove (161 points) took first out of five teams. The Mustangs (90) took third.
MVC junior Conor Gilliam took first in the 800 (1:58.32).
MVC (juniors Patrick Tracey, Gilliam, and Gavin Beckmen, and senior Joshua Tepoorten) took first in the 4×400 relay (3:32.13).
Tepoorten also took second in the 200 (50.98).
MVC (junior Patrick Tracey, sophomore Sean Williams, junior Boston Ashe, and Tepoorten) took second in the 4×100 relay (44.63).
Beckmen took second in the 3,200 (10:11.82) and third in the 1,600 in the third best mark in school history (4:36.65), and sophomore Isaiah Ortega took third in the pole vault (10-0), the second best mark in school history.
PCAL Santa Lucia Championships: Pajaro Valley senior Izaak Ocampo took first in the 100 (11.61), 200 (24.55) and long jump (20-11.5) in the PCAL Santa Lucia Division Championships at Greenfield High on Friday.
The Grizzlies (126 points) took first out of eight teams. St. Francis (118) took second, Pacific Collegiate School (32) was sixth, and Kirby (15) was seventh.
St. Francis senior Derek Anderson took first in both the 110 hurdles (18.19) and 300 hurdles (48.05), and junior teammate Jacob Jimenez took first in both the triple jump (40-2) and high jump (5-8).
Pajaro Valley senior Luis Torres took first in the discus with a school record (150-10).
PCS sophomore Jude Holmlund took first in the pole vault (11-0) and Pajaro Valley senior Carlos Anaya took second (9-6).
Pajaro Valley junior Giovanni Villanueva took second in both the 110 hurdles (18.71) and 300 hurdles (48.11).
Kirby freshman Oliver Dooley took second in the 400 (55.07) and third in the 200 (25.41). Pajaro Valley junior Erik Michi took second in the 800 (2:16.29) and third in the 1,600 (5:06.32).
PCS freshman Alexander Profumo took second in both the 1,600 (5:00.82) and 3,200 (10:45.66).
St. Francis junior Coy Jordan took second in the long jump (18-4.5) and classmate Robert Gomez Jr. took second in the high jump (5-8).
St. Francis (juniors Joseph Dayrit and Gomez Jr., sophomore Vince Tovar, and Jordan) took second in the 4×100 relay (45.41). The Sharks (senior Johnny Croghan, Gomez Jr., sophomore Vince Tovar, and senior Van Ridgway) also took second in the 4×400 relay (3:48.18).
Pajaro Valey senior Aron Bernabe took second in the shot put (39-2).
Croghan took third in the 800 (2:18.15) and sophomore teammate Evan Salguero was third in the 300 hurdles (50.39).
Pajaro Valley junior Luis Martinez took third in the 3,200 (11:07.18), sophomore teammate Andrew Chavez took third in the long jump (18-0), and the Grizzlies took third in the 4×100 relay (45.68).
Girls track and field
PCAL Mission Championships: Watsonville senior Katelynn Ruiz took first in the 1,600 (5:28.03) and 3,200 (11:55.56) at the PCAL Mission Division Championships at Rancho San Juan High in Salinas on Friday.
Stevenson (115.6 points) took first out of six teams, and the Wildcatz (69) were fourth.
Wildcatz senior Jocelyn Guzman took first in the 300 hurdles (48.90) and third in the 100 hurdles (18.43), and junior teammate Azucena Sandoval took second in the 3,200 (12:02.34).
Watsonville (sophomore Aileen Reyes, junior Lizbeth Gomez Abrica, freshman Julieta Garcia, and senior Jocelyn Guzman) took second in the 4×400 relay (4:23.67).
PCAL Cypress Championships: Freshman Anna Conca took first in the 800 (2:30.89) and 1,600 (5:20.33) in the PCAL Cypress Division Championships at Pacific Grove High on Friday.
MVC (178 points) took first out of eight teams.
MVC (freshmen Charley Moggia, Kylie Fitzpatrick, and Norah Rondia, and senior Madison Bandy) took first in the 4×100 relay (52.61). The Mustangs (sophomore Finley Castro, freshman Carly Heitzenrater, sophomore Chloe Shaw, and Conca) also took first in the 4×400 relay (4:29.31).
Senior Kylie Brunelli took first in the 3,200 (12:10.45) and second in the 1,600 (5:22.49).
MVC swept the top three spots in the pole vault: senior Nyree Delfin (8-6), freshman Gabby Telles (8-0), and freshman Eleanor Crane (7-6).
Bandy took second in both the 100 (13.23) and 200 (27.20), and Heitzenrater took second in the 100 hurdles (18.06) and third in the 300 hurdles (54.51)
Castro took second in the 400 (1:04.93), senior Hannah Woodford took second in the 800 (2:41.15), and Rondia took second in the 300 hurdles (53.27).
Shaw took third in the 400 (1:08.22), Castro took third in the 1,600 (5:26.82), and Moggia took third in the 100 hurdles (18.70).
PCAL Santa Lucia Championships: St. Francis junior Peyton Orradre and PCS freshman Iris Paten each took first in thee individual events in the PCAL Santa Lucia Division Championships at Greenfield High on Friday.
St. Francis (112 points) took first out of seven teams. Pajaro Valley (69) was fourth, and PCS (33) was seventh.
Orradre took first in the 100 hurdles (17.38), 300 hurdles (52.66), and triple jump (32-6), and Paten took first in the 800 (2:29.76), 1,600 (5:25.78), and 3,200 (12:08.08).
St. Francis junior Camila Suarez took first in the discus (75-8) and second in the shot put (26-2).
Pajaro Valley senior Ellie Moore took first in the pole vault (7-6), and junior teammate Emily Lopez took second in both the 800 (2:46.72) and 1,600 (6:04.72).
St. Francis junior Julie Lopez took second in the long jump (13-5.5), classmate Mia McClendon took third in the 400 (1:06.98), and senior teammate Carley Anderson took third in the triple jump (31-10).
Pajaro Valley (Lopez, freshman Kylie Moore, junior Alyssa Moore, and freshman Liz Zamora) took first in the 4×400 relay (4:36.41). The Grizzlies (juniors Scarlet Gomez and Alyssa Moore, senior Ellie Moore, and Zamora) took second in the 4×100 relay (54.86), the third best time in school history.
St. Francis (sophomore Malia Madrigal, junior Giselle Meschi, senior Sophia Fitzpatrick, and junior Mia McClendon) took second in the 4×400 relay (4:42.78).
Pajaro Valley senior Jocelyn Jimenez-Rincon took third in both the shot put (22-4) and discus (70-10), and freshman teammate Liz Zamora took third in the high jump (4-8).
High school baseball
Santa Cruz 5, at Scotts Valley 4; 8 inn.: Caleb Cmaylo drove in Fernando DaCosta for the game-winning run in the top of the eighth inning, and the Cardinals earned a big win in SCCAL play Friday.
DaCosta finished with three hits, including a double, and two RBI. Cmaylo had a hit and two RBI.
Damos Deworken, Seth Jin and Matteo Caltabiano each had a hit and run scored for the second-place Cardinals (10-10, 7-3). Cam Fusari had a hit and one RBI.
Kit Deforest had two hits, one RBI, and a run scored for the third-place Falcons (10-10, 6-4). Bryce McDonnell had two hits and a run scored. Eli Velez had a hit and two RBI. Lukas Bloom had a hit and one RBI. Kaleb Wing had a hit and run scored. Nick Acton also scored a run.
Morgan Toohey threw a scoreless eighth inning and earned the win in relief of starter Jason Graff, who gave up four runs, two earned, over seven innings. Acton was tagged for the loss.
On Saturday, Santa Cruz hosts Burlingame (9-12) in nonleague action at 11 a.m., and Scotts Valley plays at The King’s Academy (9-9) in a nonleague game in Sunnyvale at noon.
At Harbor 1, SLV 0: Pierre Bell scored the winning run for the Pirates on a double steal in the fourth inning of their SCCAL win Friday.
Winning pitcher Naiche Fish gave up five hits and two walks over six innings. Logan Felich struck out two batters in his scoreless seventh inning and earned the save.
Noah Solano, Aiden Boles and Bell each had a a hit for the Pirates (14-9, 5-6).
Larrabee Mitchell and Bennett Woolfolk each had two hits for the Cougars (3-17, 0-11).
Senior Jordan Renteria took the loss. He gave up three hits and three walks over six innings and struck out three.
SLV hosts North Monterey County (11-10) in nonleague action on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Harbor hosts Aptos on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
High school softball
At Monterey 10, Watsonville 1: Amelia Martinez doubled and had one RBI in the Wildcatz’s loss in the PCAL Gabilan Division action at Monterey Coast Prep on Friday.
Ruiz Bella had a hit and scored Watsonville’s lone run in the fourth inning. Mia Espinoza had two hits.
Junior Denae Lee hit two home runs and had three RBI for the Toreadores (16-3-1, 8-0). Eastin Jennings laso homered.
Watsonville (11-10, 1-7) hosts North Salinas (5-14, 0-9) on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
Soledad 13, at MVC 12: Kayla Fullalove-Silveira, Samantha Bertoldi, and Ava Alvarado hit home runs for the Mustangs in their PCAL Mission Division loss Friday.
MVC (9-13, 3-10) scored nine runs in the third inning to take a 10-6 lead, but the Aztecs took the lead for good with their six-run fifth.
Bertoldi finished with four hits, three RBI, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. Alvarado had two hits and three RBI, and Fullalove-Silveira had three hits, three stolen bases, and scored twice. Gianna Johnson had three hits, two RBI, and scored three runs, and Isabel Piccini had two hits and scored twice.
MVC hosts vs Santa Cruz in nonleague action on Monday at 4:30 p.m.
Boys lacrosse
Los Gatos 21, Soquel 11: Jed Del Favero had six goals and one assist in the Knights’ nonleague loss on Thursday night.
Tanner Trowbridge scored four goals for the Knights. Enzo Bik netted 1 goal.
Goalie Daniel Bjorn made 22 saves for the Knights, who host Hollister on Monday at 5 p.m.
Reporting Scores
Coaches are encouraged to report scores and highlights to sports@santacruzsentinel.com following games. Please include your name and contact number in the email.
Naperville North trounces Waubonsie 17-6 to earn 4th straight IHSA Boys Water Polo Sectional
Naperville North hosts Waubonsie Valley in an IHSA Boys Water Polo Sectional Final! The Naperville North Boys Water Polo senior class has only known success at the sectional level. Winners of three straight sectionals, only Waubonsie Valley stands in their way of a fourth. In contrast, the Warriors are in the sectional final for the […]
Naperville North hosts Waubonsie Valley in an IHSA Boys Water Polo Sectional Final!
The Naperville North Boys Water Polo senior class has only known success at the sectional level. Winners of three straight sectionals, only Waubonsie Valley stands in their way of a fourth. In contrast, the Warriors are in the sectional final for the first time in a decade with a trip to state on the line. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
North opens with a 6-0 advantage to open the IHSA Boys Water Polo Sectional
The Huskies wasted no time getting to work. The ball makes its way to Jack Reif in the middle, and the senior scores the opening goal. 1-0 North.
North’s offense continues to click as Jacob Podkasik finds Reif in the middle again, and it doesn’t matter how many defenders are there, Reif scores again. 3-0 North.
Waubonsie is trying its luck on offense now. Youssef El Touny shoots from the middle, but Caleb Uson keeps the Warriors off the board with this save.
Waubonsie goes down a man here, and that frees up Podkasik for this shot to put North up 5-0.
Jack Boudeman had some key passes from this spot before, but this time he goes right up in front of the net and skips one in. North continues to roll up 6-0 in the second quarter.
North looks to do more damage, but this time, Lucas Adeli stops the bleeding with a save.
Rising out of the water, Ben Meier finds the edge of the net for a Waubonsie goal. They trail 6-2.
Caden Tsao and Podkasik play it back and forth before Podkasik fires a rocket into the back of the net. North leads 8-2.
After he’s fouled on a shot attempt, Reif has just the goalie to beat and wastes no time scoring. 11-2 North at the half.
Huskies cruise to an 11-point victory and a fourth straight Boys Water Polo Sectional title
Here’s Mason Hofmann on a break. He sets up to the side of the net and quickly dishes to Podkasik, who has an empty half of the net to score on.
Here is a Hail Mary pass from Uson to Hoffman again. This time, he passes to Reif. Reif fakes all over before firing a shot into the left side. North rolls over Waubonsie 17-6 to secure a fourth IHSA Boys Water Polo Sectional title in four years. They face Brother Rice in the State Quarter Final on Friday at Stevenson.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.
Abongwa Leads Women's Outdoor Track & Field at 2025 ECAC Championships
Story Links 2025 IC4A/ECAC Results Fairfax, Va. – The UMBC women’s track and field squad completed a strong spring season by placing eleventh out of 28 teams at the 2025 ECAC Championships, held this past weekend at George Mason University. Junior Marie Abongwa continues to rake in medals as she took home a silver and […]
Fairfax, Va. – The UMBC women’s track and field squad completed a strong spring season by placing eleventh out of 28 teams at the 2025 ECAC Championships, held this past weekend at George Mason University.
Junior Marie Abongwa continues to rake in medals as she took home a silver and a bronze to add to her collection. Abongwa was the runner-up in the hammer with a toss of 54.17 meters (177-08) and placed third in the shot put with a personal-best toss of 14.04 meters (46-00.75).
Senior Chia Nwankwo just missed the medal stand after placing fourth in the shot put with an effort of 13.29 meters (43-07.25).
Anna Creel was impressive in the 200 meters. The freshman crossed the line with a personal best time of 24.55.
Junior Lily Strelecki also scored in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:26.01.
White Sox Prospect Colson Montgomery 'On A Positive Track' After Arizona Stint
CHICAGO – General manager Chris Getz considers the White Sox an open-minded organization, and their recent strategy with prospect Colson Montgomery is a prime example. Montgomery – the team’s No. 6 prospect who recently dropped out of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 rankings – got off to a woeful start in Triple-A, batting .149 with 43 […]
CHICAGO – General manager Chris Getz considers the White Sox an open-minded organization, and their recent strategy with prospect Colson Montgomery is a prime example.
Montgomery – the team’s No. 6 prospect who recently dropped out of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 rankings – got off to a woeful start in Triple-A, batting .149 with 43 strikeouts in 103 plate appearances. So instead of seeing if he could work out of his slump while playing games in Charlotte, or waiting until the offseason to take action, they sent him to Arizona for about two weeks for individualized work with White Sox director of hitting Ryan Fuller.
“We feel like he’s on track and now he can view his season from the point where he returned to Charlotte and just move forward,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Friday at Wrigley Field. “I know there’s definitely optimism in his mind now, which perhaps was hard to find before.”
White Sox assistant general manager Josh Barfield saidearlier in the week in Cincinnati that Montgomery’s swing adjustments were much more tweaks than a full rebuild. And since returning to Triple-A on Tuesday, the changes have worked.
Across four games and 18 plate appearances while playing shortstop, he had six hits, three doubles, four RBIs, one walk and three strikeouts heading to action Sunday.
“He’s had a good restart,” Getz said. “Fun to see him get a knock his first at-bat, get two hits. … Strikeouts are down. We feel like he’s on a positive track. Happy for him considering what he’s gone through, but also happy for the organization. We acted on that one and another example of a process that we feel like was working.”
Along with the mechanical adjustments, Getz believes Montgomery also benefited mentally from his time in Arizona.
“There’s the mental grind of going through slumps and struggles, where you want to make these adjustments, but you can’t in the current environment you’re in, so you take a step out and kind of detach yourself,” Getz said. “You can then really dial in on what needs to be adjusted. The mental break can do wonders for anyone. We can apply that to any of our lives, where sometimes you just need to get away, get a greater perspective on things, then reset and get back to work.”
New field among improvements to Powell-Davis Stadium, home of Venice football
VENICE — The way John Peacock figures it, Venice High now will have a facility in quality equal to its football team. At a cost of $12 million, the tab picked up by Sarasota County, Powell-Davis Stadium didn’t just get a nip here and a tuck there. The renovations to the field and surrounding area […]
VENICE — The way John Peacock figures it, Venice High now will have a facility in quality equal to its football team.
At a cost of $12 million, the tab picked up by Sarasota County, Powell-Davis Stadium didn’t just get a nip here and a tuck there. The renovations to the field and surrounding area make this a total facelift.
And, according to Peacock, a badly needed one at that.
#ItsJustChampionsHere: Venice basks in fourth FHSAA football state title
“The County looked at our overall facilities,” the school’s head football coach said. “I mean, they’re from 19-whatever. I don’t know how old they are. Those old bathrooms were from the 1960s. So they said they need to upgrade everything. It was just a comprehensive thing to where they thought they just needed to refurbish the bathrooms, concessions, and everything. The concession stand was horrible and outdated.”
And the upgrades come fresh off Venice winning its fourth state championship, having crushed Lake Mary 52-19 at Pitbull Stadium in Miami for the Class 7A state crown in December, the third under Peacock.
Ground was broken on the project in December. Recently, a new press box, double the size of the previous one, and an updated Jumbotron were added. Besides the new bathrooms and two new concession stands, about 600 seats were added to bring the capacity at Powell-Davis to nearly 5,000.
“Our seating capacity was way under Riverview and Sarasota,” Peacock said. “It still is. We still have the least amount of people. My only concern was the press box. We couldn’t even fit visiting teams’ coaches in there.”
The new press box will provide room for coaches and media, including Venice’s live stream of its games.
“This is something that’s well overdue,” Venice athletic director Larry Shannon said. “These renovations are going to provide a top-notch facility for all of our athletes. This project will allow us to have a stadium that matches up to our athletic programs and campus.”
How sweet it is: Parade of Champions: Venice takes to streets to celebrate 2024 state football title winners
Venice fans may notice the fence, once situated inside the track which allowed fans to stand on the track during games, has been relocated outside the track. “Now they won’t be able to stand on the track,” Peacock said.
In addition, the track will be resurfaced and the lighting surrounding Powell-Davis improved.
“The field will be lit better,” Peacock said.
As for Venice’s players, they may not notice the new goal posts being brought in, but they will notice the AstroTurf playing surface. Venice was the last school in Sarasota County to play games on natural grass.
“(The new field) is a mixture of sand and tiny wood chips,” Peacock said. “It’s supposed to make it less hot.”
“We’re excited about what the turf is going to bring from a durability standpoint to our campus,” Shannon said. “There won’t be any practice limitations, and there won’t be any wear and tear to worry about like we do now with three football teams, plus soccer and lacrosse also playing on the field on a yearly basis.”
The final renovation will benefit Venice’s beach volleyball team, which has been forced to play its home matches at Venice Beach. Three courts will be built on campus, and extended netting will be installed at the baseball field.
Spring Football Game Schedule
The Sarasota and Manatee County games set for May 20-23.
Tuesday, May 20
Venice at Naples, 7:30
Wednesday, May 21
Gulf Coast at Manatee, 6:30
Clearwater Central Catholic at Palmetto, 7:30
Thursday, May 22
Mitchell, Cardinal Mooney at Clearwater, 6:30 p.m.
Amidst power outages, an energy crisis, and widespread shortages, Cuban sports authorities have announced as a “serious goal” the construction of a beach volleyball stadium in Varadero, one of the country’s main tourist destinations. The information was released by the official newspaper Girón and confirmed during the first stop of the Beach Volleyball Circuit of […]
Amidst power outages, an energy crisis, and widespread shortages, Cuban sports authorities have announced as a “serious goal” the construction of a beach volleyball stadium in Varadero, one of the country’s main tourist destinations.
The information was released by the official newspaper Girón and confirmed during the first stop of the Beach Volleyball Circuit of the North, Central America, and Caribbean Confederation (Norceca), which is taking place in Varadero.
The three-time Olympic champion Mireya Luis, currently the vice president of the Cuban Volleyball Federation and the general director of the event, stated that the project has the support of the local government, the Ministry of Tourism, and other entities connected to the sport.
“It is a serious goal. We have planned the project with all the necessary requirements,” stated the former player, referring to the intention to build a permanent facility to replace the current temporary structures used each year during the tournament.
The Barceló Solymar Arenas Blancas Hotel has been a regular venue for the event, but its temporary stands only allow for the attendance of a few dozen spectators.
According to Mireya Luis, a stadium with increased capacity would benefit not only the event itself but also the training of the athletes and the prestige of the regional competition.
Mireya Luis herself celebrated the current performance of the Cuban pairs, with one of them ranked among the top ten in the world.
However, she acknowledged that beach volleyball needs stable conditions to grow: “We never stop dreaming about the growth of the tournament,” expressed the former leader of the Morenas del Caribe, Olympic champions in Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, and Sydney 2000.
According to the Norceca circuit schedule, Varadero will not only host the inaugural stop of 2025, but it will also be the venue for the final phase in October.
Although the event promotes Cuba internationally as a sports and tourist destination, the construction of a new stadium during times of scarcity opens a new front for debate regarding government priorities and the use of public resources.
The decision contrasts with the serious situation of the national electrical system, affected by recurrent failures in thermal power plants, lack of maintenance, and a shortfall of investments in critical infrastructure.
On social media, numerous users have questioned the initiative, claiming that government funds and attention should be directed towards resolving power outages, improving transportation, supplying hospitals, or ensuring food and medicine, instead of building a facility for an annual event.
Odalis Altamirano expressed, “What we need is a thermoelectric plant to provide service to the province of Matanzas, which does experience power outages. But of course, Varadero doesn’t feel it, only during the few moments of energy collapse. They keep wasting money and don’t think about the average Cuban who can’t even afford the luxury of going to Varadero.”
Greisy Rodríguez Delgado quipped: “Odalis Altamirano, with what they raise in that stadium, will invest in the SEN, you’ll see. That has yielded a lot of results; just look at how stocked the sales points and service centers are.”
The profound decline in housing construction in Cuba is an unmistakable sign of the economic and social collapse facing the country: in 2024, fewer houses were built than in the worst years of the Special Period, underscoring the sustained failure of the State to address one of the most basic needs of the population.
The data was revealed by Cuban economist Pedro Monreal in an analysis published on the social network X, based on the official report titled “Construction in Cuba. Selected Indicators. January-December 2024. May 2025 Edition,” issued by the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI).
According to official figures, investments in business services, real estate activities, and rental services reached 24.907 billion Cuban pesos (CUP) in 2024, making it the primary destination for capital expenditure in the country.
This is in addition to 11,936.5 million CUP allocated to hotels and restaurants, bringing the total investment in activities closely related to tourism to over 36.8 billion pesos.
These figures intensify the debate about the persistent priority that the Cuban regime gives to tourism, despite the prolonged stagnation of the sector and the severe shortages that the population faces in fundamental areas such as public health and food production.
In this same regard, in 2024, official data on investment in Cuba during the first half of that year reignited the debate about the allocation of resources on the island, particularly the Cuban regime’s insistence on investing in the tourism sector at the expense of fundamental sectors such as health and social assistance.
According to the ONEI report, from January to June 2024, the regime allocated nearly 40% of its investments to activities related to tourism, whereas investment in Health and Social Assistance is 14 times lower, a fact that has been heavily criticized by economic experts, such as Cuban economist Pedro Monreal.
Frequently asked questions about the construction of the beach volleyball stadium in Varadero
Why is the construction of a beach volleyball stadium being proposed in Varadero?
The aim is to create a permanent installation to replace the current temporary structures used during the annual Norceca Beach Volleyball Circuit tournament. The construction aims to increase capacity to enhance the show, support the athletes’ preparation, and elevate the prestige of the event. However, the decision has sparked controversy amid the ongoing energy and economic crisis in Cuba.
What are the criticisms regarding the construction of the new stadium in Varadero?
Critics argue that resources should be allocated to address more urgent issues, such as blackouts, the lack of maintenance of critical infrastructure, and the shortage of food and medicine. Many question the government’s priority in investing in a stadium at a time of severe economic and energy crisis.
How does Cuba’s energy situation affect this initiative?
The energy crisis in Cuba, characterized by blackouts and a lack of maintenance in thermal power plants, makes the construction of a beach volleyball stadium seem like a questionable investment. The population endures prolonged electricity outages, while the government prioritizes projects that do not address basic infrastructure issues.
What impact does the economic crisis have on Varadero as a tourist destination?
Varadero, despite being one of the main tourist hubs in Cuba, faces significant deterioration due to a lack of maintenance and investment. The economic crisis has led to a decrease in tourist arrivals, and the current conditions of hotel infrastructures have been criticized, impacting the perception of Varadero as a quality destination.
Junior Zoe Sherer laces up her pointe shoes, the soft satin concealing the hours of dedication, pain, and perseverance behind every graceful movement. As she prepares for another rigorous practice, she thinks of Candy Tong, a professional ballet dancer and model who has carved her own path in the industry. “She is really inspiring because […]
Junior Zoe Sherer laces up her pointe shoes, the soft satin concealing the hours of dedication, pain, and perseverance behind every graceful movement. As she prepares for another rigorous practice, she thinks of Candy Tong, a professional ballet dancer and model who has carved her own path in the industry.
“She is really inspiring because of how strong of a woman she is,” Sherer said. “She is really independent and started her own business, which I also want to do when I’m older.”
For Sherer, Tong’s impact goes beyond dance — her success as an entrepreneur and performer resonates deeply, especially because of their shared cultural background.
“She’s an Asian immigrant who has gotten work in the dance industry and has been really successful and well known, which is inspiring,” Sherer said. “She’s impacted (young girls)
Story continues below advertisement
by representing that minority in dance.”
As Women’s History Month celebrates the resilience and achievements of female athletes, role models like Tong continue to inspire young female atheletes to push past barriers and pursue their passions with confidence.
Similarly, junior track and field athlete Lilia Kuzmicheva said her role model, Sunisa Lee, an Olympic gold medallist in gymnastics, empowers girls by challenging societal prejudices.
“She defeated a lot of stereotypes, especially in a sport like gymnastics, because I didn’t know it was possible for girls to do all those tricks that she could do,” Kuzmicheva said. “Young girls watching her on TV and seeing those things … look up to that.”
Athletic Director Jennifer Crane said female athletes like Mia Hamm, a renowned soccer player, have opened new career opportunities for women.
“Mia Hamm’s impact on the commercialization of women’s sports has undoubtedly paved the way for female athletes to gain more visibility and financial opportunities,” Crane said. “She was one of the first female athletes to secure major endorsement deals, proving that women’s sports could be marketable.”
Crane said her admiration for Hamm stems from Hamm’s character and values.
“I remember her being a really hard worker and (having) a huge level of humility when she was being interviewed,” Crane said. “Most of her interviews always related back to her passion and love for the sport, and that’s something that stuck with me because that’s why I played sports.”
While she didn’t gain technical sports knowledge from Hamm, Crane said she still learned valuable lessons from her.
“She wasn’t the sole influencer but influenced the way that I handle myself in the athletic arena in regards to sportsmanship and holding yourself with a certain stature in the athletic arena,” Crane said.
Like Crane, Sherer said Tong taught her crucial values, such as being perseverant in the face of setbacks.
“Always push yourself, be your own person and take your own path because she got injured, which can be career-ending for a dancer,” Sherer said.
When injuries like these happen, Kuzmicheva said looking up to female athletes motivated her to stay persistent.
“Similar to (Sunisa Lee), I’ve dealt with injuries, but I have to remind myself that even if you do get injured and are out for a part of the season, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get far in your sport,” Kuzmicheva said.
And Crane said having female athletes to learn from when she was younger was beneficial to her career
“(Hamm) was not just a great female soccer player — she was a great athlete,” Crane said. “Watching her excel on the world stage, break records and lead her team to victory showed me that womens sports deserve the same level of respect, recognition and investment as mens sports.”
Kuzmicheva also said professional female athletes have played a vital role in her goals for the future.
“It’s important to have a role model that you can look to throughout your sport and have someone that you can remember when you’re struggling with something,” Kuzmicheva said.
While womens sports are often overlooked, Crane said their impact is still felt.
“Without (Hamm) there might have been someone else, but I think every single person who’s contributed to this cause is important and leaves a legacy for any female athlete, whether it be like a high school athlete, a college athlete, it has an impact on them, and oftentimes we don’t know about it,” Crane said. “Whether as an athlete, coach or athletic director, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to push for equal resources, facilities and respect for female athletes.”
