Belen Legend Carlos Barquin
(This message was originally sent via email to the Belen community on December 15, 2022.)
There are a handful of people who can truly claim the title of B-legend. There are only a small band of individuals whose love for and dedication to our school has earned them that title. And, there are an even smaller number still who would disagree that Coach Carlos Barquín fits that B-legend bill. As a matter of fact, many would claim he set the standard.
Coach Barq’s life at Belen Jesuit began in 1969 when as an 18-year-old Pedro Pan kid he had become very close to Fr. Luis Ripoll S.J. It was this friendship that led him to Belen Jesuit and its physical education department. Fifty-three years later, Barquín has created one of the most successful athletic programs in South Florida. His accolades are numerous and include 30 state championships, numerous academic state championships, founder of the Belen Summer Camp, the development of all athletic facilities, and even the creation of a sport (Barq Ball). But, of all these accomplishments, it has been the character formation of men that has clearly defined him.
It is with mixed emotions that I officially announce that Carlos Barquín, long-time Athletic Director of Belen Jesuit, will be stepping down from his position at the end of this academic year and taking on a new responsibility. Beginning in the 2023-2024 academic year, his role will be as Special Assistant to the President. More specifically, Barquín will stay on to help oversee the completion of the new Robert Surís Athletic Facility and assist the Office of Advancement in promoting the development of this endeavor.
While Coach Barquín’s move to another role in the school will leave big shoes to fill, we are excited for the future of our athletic program as we search for our new Athletic Director. Beginning January 2023, Belen Jesuit will undergo a national search to fill the position. Details will be posted on our website soon.
For now, please join me in thanking Coach Carlos Barquín for his more than five decades of service to our Wolverine Nation.
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@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 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 sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.