José Eduardo Cajina, long-time Guatemalan coach and former national team player, passed away on Saturday, 25 July, in his native country. He was 56 years old.
Cajina, better known as ‘Chepe’, was the Guatemala national team assistant coach at the WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship 2015 in Saskatoon, Canada, the country’s first appearance in softball's top international competition.
Last year, he was part of the staff of the U-17 men’s softball Guatemalan team that clinched a berth in the 2020 U-18 Softball World Cup, with a fourth-place finish on home soil. It was the first time Guatemala qualified for a Softball World Cup, previously having received a wild card to play in the 2015 world championship.
His last appearance at an international softball competition was in February 2020, in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Guatemala advanced to the Super Round from Group B, and closed a historic campaign in sixth place. He had the pleasure to coach one of his sons, Jonathan, on the team.
As a player, he helped Guatemala win the gold medal at the San Jose 2013 Central American Games and bronze at the Central American and Caribbean Championship 2014 in Cali, Colombia.
He was married to Maria Angelica Monterroso, and is survived by three children: Jenifer Nohemí, Jonathan José, and Josué David.
