GAMES AND SPORTS
He pilots it to Sant Joan
We remember as former pilots Ximo Miralles, Vicente, Paco Navarro, Pepe from the San Roc bar, Jaime Olcina, Julianet, Paquito the grandmother, Vicente Caturla… Fans who left their work every afternoon and put on the glove hitting the pilota through our streets, streets like Carmen, Mar and even in Santa Faz. With them, the Benimagrell Pilot Club was legalized, entering the competition and consolidating everything that other players defend today, so that this sport continues to carry the name of our town in different places.
This sports entity was officially registered as a sports club 32 years ago. Despite this, it has been competing in our town for more than 55 years. The first official league played by the club was the Lliga Autonòmica de Llargues i PalmaTrofeu Diputació d’Alacant, in the 3rd category, competing against other towns such as Agost, Mutxamel, San Fulgencio or Tibi, among many others.
Over the years, new generations have formed and competed for this club, notable among them: Jaime, Pedro and José Olcina, Paco Terol, Felo Caturla or José Sala, among others. All of this led to the Benimagrell Pilota Club rising in category in a short time. His first triumphs were the championship in the third category and promotion to the second category. Obtaining four championships in 2nd in the Llargues and Palma modalities. With the incorporation of Daniel Sansano, coach of San Fulgencio, the team was promoted to the 1st category, making history in the club.
Playing in Benimagrell (Sant Joan d’Alacant)
Pilot School (Sant Joan d’Alacant)
All of this has given rise to young promises of this sport, who are trained every day at the Escola de Pilota, an entity that receives the support of its governors and local institutions, highlighting Paco and Mr. Edmundo Seva. Approximately, around 22 students joined in the first year, and currently the little pilotaires compete in the Jocs Esportius of the Valencian Community.
A large number of Santjoaners have collaborated in one way or another so that this club continues to grow day by day, being able to continue with its work and developing great players.
Among the competitions that take place in the Valencian Community, such as the Lliga Autonòmica de Llargues i Palma Trofeu Diputació d’Alacant, in which our first-class team from Llargues managed to come in second place. Thanks to this achievement, the club was able to participate in the Coupe des Champions, the most important international club competition, in which the Belgian, Dutch, Italian, French, Basque and Valencian champion teams participate. For our team it was an honor to be able to represent our Sant Joan d’Alacant in this competition, since this had never happened before in the history of the Benimagrell Pilot Club, and the team also managed to become runner-up in the edition held in Alfara del Patriarca (Valencia) in 2014. All of this is followed by a second palm championship and another 5 runners-up in the first category of llargues and perxa, in the last 5 years.
Every year on October 9, the Jaime Olcina Memorial is celebrated, where the most outstanding players of the moment come to participate in it. Jaime was a great promoter of the pilota in Benimagrell, and also has a monument in the Benimagrell Park.
Pilota Valenciana Monument, Jaime Olcina Memorial, (Benimagrell, Sant Joan d’Alacant)