The closing speech at Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto’s End-of-Season Dinner, delivered by President Juanjo Bataller, normally includes the announcement of signings for the red-and-white squad. This time, Bataller upheld the tradition. Nacho Plaza, an international junior pivot from Guadalajara, and Sasa Djukic, a left back who was already a red-and-white player during the club’s Asobal debut, are the players who, together with Carlos Grau and Juan Sebastiá, make up the list of new Fertiberia BM Puerto Sagunto players for 2013–2014.
In addition to this announcement, the gala, which once again brought together many representatives of local society from all sectors, saw the club pay a simple and heartfelt tribute to seven representatives of the red-and-white spirit. To begin with, Rafael Uguet, representing Fertiberia, and Juanjo Bataller, representing BM Puerto, signed the sponsorship agreement for next season with Sagunto mayor Alfredo Castelló as witness.
After this formal ceremony, the evening paid tribute to Iván Urbano, a young academy player battling a serious illness. In the most moving moment of the night, his girlfriend Karmele Viñals and his friend Toni Alegre, a player in the port club’s first team, collected the plaque on his behalf.
David Núñez was the next representative of the red-and-white spirit, recognised as the academy’s breakthrough coach—a prize for which he had to qualify Fertiberia’s children’s team for the Spanish Championship in two consecutive seasons. “The club can be calm, because there is an academy”, declared the much-applauded coach.
The next protagonist was a club stalwart, José Luis Pérez Medrano, for his “dedication and self-sacrifice” which have translated into 27 years as a delegate at BM Puerto. Fertiberia did not forget Julián Castelblanque, manager of Alser and one of the main figures behind the Ovni being filled every 15 days with a festive atmosphere during recent Asobal seasons.
Peña Marea Rojiblanca received the award for the eighth player, thanks to the respect it continues to inspire among its rivals in the top tier of Spanish handball. Last season, the high point of its “unconditional support”was the final phase of the Copa del Rey, in which Logroño surrendered to its example.
The award for best local player went to captain Rubén Ruiz, “a symbol of our academy philosophy”, in the words of communications officer Carlos Argente, who hosted the evening alongside Pepa Conesa and David Padilla. The port club’s centre back, accompanied by the other BM Puerto captains, reiterated his message that “at this club, the best is still to come”.
Before Bataller brought the gala to a close, at the Mar Blau function rooms in Canet d’En Berenguer in the presence of around 150 guests, Castelló, who received the award for political support, paid tribute to each of the honourees, “among whom I am the one who deserves it least. They are the ones who make this club so great”.
Translation produced using artificial intelligence.
