National Honor for One of Our Own
Belen Jesuit Crew Coach Yunian Cabrera was named Junior Coach of the Year and was honored in a ceremony on November 17 at the New York Athletic Club.
He traveled to NYC with Father Willie, Coach Carlos Barquin and alumni who had participated in the crew program.
“I am humbled and honored to be chosen as Junior Coach of the Year. When I heard of the nomination, I was taken aback. It is very humbling to be held in the same regard as some of the best coaches in the country,” said Cabrera in an interview with USRowing.” “I could have never imagined as a young boy in Cuba that I would have the opportunity of following my passion for rowing. Simply being a coach here in the United States is something I desired; being named Junior Coach of the Year has been a dream come true.”
"Last night's award is evidence that Belen Jesuit has the best youth rowing coach in the nation,” said Father Willie. “Yunian has helped to put the name of Belen Jesuit on the national scene. I was impressed to see how all these hallowed rowing programs know well the name of Belen Jesuit. We are grateful to have such a pro on our staff and working with our young men."
Since he became the school’s head coach in 2010, Cabrera has transformed the program from a small school team into the nation’s preeminent scholastic program, expanding it to include middle school rowing. Belen Jesuit has experienced notable milestones under Cabrera’s leadership including its first international gold medal at the Royal Canadian Henley, rowing at the 2015 World Rowing Junior Championships in Rio, and competing at the Henley Royal Regatta in England.
To read the full USRowing interview with Coach Cabrera click here.
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba, by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the school's property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit is situated on a 34-acre site in western Dade County, just minutes away from downtown Miami.