By Omar Ureña

  It takes courage to fly into professional football in Mexico. At this time, the Cabo Marlins have already started a new stage on the eve of the 2021 season of the FAM, the Mexican pro football league, which is expanding the brand with the Rarámuris, the second team in Chihuahua and the brand new Cancún Tiburones.

  The Cabo Marlins showed verve. Sigfrido Muñoz, helmsman of the ship that departed as if on a sunset cruise through the Pacific to find its new captain, coach César Martínez, who became a college football coach in the industrial Monterrey, being Frank González assistant in the years of the Borregos dynasty. The path he undertook to the south of Mexico City, carried the teachings and achievements as the Mexico City Tech Borregos rammed their opponents in intensity duels at their field located in Tepepan against the IPN Águilas Blancas, the University of Mexico Pumas and the Monterrey Borregos, he led the team to the playoffs for the first time ever. In 2013 coach Martínez inherited the reins of Monterrey Tech when Frank González was no longer the coach of the multi-champion Borregos.

In his first year, César Martínez took his team to Puebla to face the UDLAP Aztecas in the CONADEIP National Championship game. It was a battle in the trenches, a deranged epic fight in which the fighting spirit and technique shone until the end, the Aztecs denied the Borregos the opportunity of being champions for two years and coach Martínez destiny was written with a 12-5 record and 2 playoff appearances as the Borregos head coach. In 2014 he led the Mexico National Team to win the championship in the First FISU University World Cup. In 2017 he traveled through the desert and arrived in Sonora to lead the ITSON Potros. On the professional level, he was the guide for the Saltillo Dinos of the LNF in 1995 and 1996, then in the beginning of the XXI century, he brought together Borregos and Auténticos Tigres former players and brought fire and steel to Monterrey to beat Texas teams and win the UPFL Championship with the Monterrey Regios. 

Cabo San Lucas is hoping to see a team that lay the foundation for a winning organization. The motivation is gigantic as the iconic arch, the rock that is right where the Sea of ​​Cortez and the Pacific Ocean collide that is admired by locals and visitors. Cabo San Lucas is an international community eager for activities, and for sports victories. Coach César Martínez, will be recruiting national talent but will emphasize bringing American players as well. The nature of the exchange of cultures has meant that in Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo there is a foreign population passionate about football. Likewise, tourists coming mainly from the west coast: California, Arizona, Washington and Oregon, fans of the Pac 12 will go to the Marlins games at Don Koll Stadium because it will be an international party with the Pacific Ocean in the background. For Sigfrido it’s the foundation for growth, the love of the San José del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas and La Paz fans for the blue, aqua and white colors.

   “The truth is that the people of Cabo reacted very well. We did a terrific job with the community, which is something important within the organization. Building relations with the community is part of our values, to promote sports.”

  The goal means César Martínez work will exceed the level to which former coach Tony Simmons led the team. The journey through the desert of this team depends on its head coach, who has landed on the beach on the Pacific side and climbed to the stadium located in the Cangrejos area in Cabo San Lucas. The Marlins will bring American warriors, added by a mix with the national talented players as Lalo Vázquez, the 2020 MVP. It is very important for the organization to connect the excitement of pro football with the community of this once fishing village now home to the Marlins.

  “We have a very important American and Canadian community. There are more than 20,000 foreign families living here and it is something we want to do. Having that bondage with international talent and betting on top-level players who come from abroad”.

  In 2020 the American players who had an impact were wideout #11 Dorian Stanard and the powerful defensive tackle who shocked the fans at the bleachers in Don Koll Stadium with his impressive tackles and sacks, Darryl Render, a phenomenal athlete who played in the ACC for the Pittsburgh Panthers, being the successor to Aaron Donald of the Rams. Both players will return for 2021. For Sigfrido Muñoz, the final goal is to have a parade with the champion trophy along Av. Lázaro Cárdenas, passing by the Hard Rock Cafe and the world famous El Squid Roe and proclaiming the FAM national champions. 

  “From the start it is definitely getting into the playoffs. The goal, as for all the franchises, is to be champions and we are setting the goal on that”.

This team is already strong, but that will not put the Marlins to rest in the pursuit of their goals. This is Cabo’s pro football team. This is a dream that has come to honor the football pioneers in Cabo San Lucas such as Alejandro Fricke, Alejandro Zapata, coach Trejo, Alejandro Álvarez, who were followed by Aron Flores, Arturo ‘Cuervo’ Alvaradejo, Odin García García, now leader of the Cabo Flag Football League.

The Marlins will ride and jump energetically on the waves of the Pacific to delight the fans with spectacular and unforgettable games played between the desert and the ocean. The intense sunset flame in the sky and the spiritual alliance that unites team and fans will spread everywhere in Baja California Sur with momentum and glory.