Nearly five years after the death of Joaquin Salazar, a standout soccer player and member of Peekskill High School’s Class of 2020, his friends and family are still finding ways to keep his memory alive.
On Sunday, August 3, more than 30 of Salazar’s loved ones (friends, family, and teammates) gathered at East Coast Sports and Fitness in Yorktown for an evening filled with laughter, friendly competition, and memories of the young man who left a deep mark on their lives. The indoor soccer tournament was the vision of Hugo Sanchez, Salazar’s friend and teammate.
In an interview with the Herald, Sanchez shared that the idea was born during a difficult conversation in therapy. “Every single time his birthday comes up, I can’t handle it,” he recalled telling his therapist. “They suggested I make a tournament for him in his memory. After thinking about it, I was like, ‘Yeah. That’s something I want to do.’”
With Salazar’s birthday approaching on August 27, Sanchez decided this year was the right time. He began planning weeks in advance, assembling teams led by people who had been especially close to Joaquin — childhood friends and teammates.
The tournament featured four teams, a first-round elimination game, and the final. The champions received custom medals — made in Peekskill by Tienda Deportiva NY — featuring a childhood photo of Joaquin on the front and the words “LLJ [Long Live Joaquin] 2025 Champions” on the back. A trophy was also awarded, depicting an angel holding up a soccer ball with the number seven, Salazar’s jersey number.
Although a friendly tournament, Sanchez said the competition was fierce. “The emotion throughout the tournament was high. Everybody wanted to play that final and win the medals because everybody saw the medals and the trophy,” he said. “We didn’t have any prize money, but people were still going hard.”
Joaquin’s parents and his younger sister, Juliette, were in attendance. After the final whistle, in a heartfelt gesture, the winning team presented the trophy to Joaquin’s mother. Juliette helped distribute the medals.
For Juliette, the night was about more than just the game. “I loved it. I think it’s really cool to see a sport that my brother loved bring so many of his friends together again,” she said. “It’s really nice to see that after five years, they still think of him.”
A Division 1 track athlete and psychology major at the University at Buffalo, Juliette shared that her bond with Joaquin ran deep. “We were always together growing up. He was probably one of the funniest people I knew. He was so determined — academically and soccer wise.”
Although she’ll be away at college for his birthday, Juliette plans to continue a tradition she began to honor her brother: releasing water lanterns on his special day.
As for the future, Sanchez says he hopes to make the memorial soccer tournament an annual event. “As long as his mom gives the green light, I want to keep it going every year. Maybe next time have more teams and a prize,” he said. “It’s just a nice way to honor him. He obviously wasn’t there, but his presence was felt.”
He also hopes the Peekskill City School District will find ways to honor both Joaquin and Liony Santos, another soccer star from the community that died in 2021. “Maybe they can add a mural of them in the school. They could also do a tournament or do alumni games. I know all my friends would show up,” said Sanchez.
When asked how she thought Joaquin would react to a tournament held in his name, Juliette didn’t hesitate. “I feel like he’d make jokes, but I think he’d be grateful. My brother was just that type of guy.”
