LATINO SPORTS TEAM

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Robert Rizzo is a journalist and the editor of Latino Sports. He joined the team in February of 2022. His major interest is baseball. Robert is a passionate writer, who discusses trending sports news in MLB, NBA, NFL, College Men’s Basketball, Boxing along with Soccer. He graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz in May of 2021 and majored in Communications with a concentration of Organizational Communication, completing a minor degree in Geography.

Bill Menzel – Photo Editor for Latino Sports. Bill has been covering the local professional sports teams in the tri-state area since 1999. He has photographed many World Series games and all-star games as well as the Super Bowl. Bill is our Photo Editor and the lead photographer for Latino Sports for more than 10 years. Bill has also photographed celebrity entertainment, concerts, and everything to do with photography. We look forward to having Bill’s images continue to capture the essence of Latino Sports stories for many years to come.

James Fiorentino has been creating original artwork for the oldest and most prestigious award given to Latino baseball players, the LatinoMVP award for over 15 years.  Since his involvement the Latino Sports award has become a major attraction for all winning players and teams. We believe it’s one of the most sought-after awards in baseball and James’ artwork is a major reason why. James has become one of the most well-known sports artists and watercolor painters in the United States. With art hanging in galleries and museums around the world, James has worked with countless legendary athletes across the field of major sports. His art and story have been documented by national media throughout his professional 30-year career. He has painted countless notables in the world from presidents and Nobel Peace Prize winners to military heroes and celebrities.

Maz Adams is a professional Sports artist and 2010 graduate of the prestigious Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. He creates the art honoring the starters, relievers, and rookies in baseball for the annual LatinoMVP awards. Hailing from Canarsie, Brooklyn, New York, he has spent most of his life in New Jersey, but now resides in Pennsylvania. His clients include Topps, Beckett Magazine, The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, The Ed Lucas Foundation and the charities of Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams, Isaac Bruce, and Rod Carew. He is humbled and honored to use his unique comic-inspired art to help honor the brightest Latino athletes in the game today!

William Coppola – Originally drafted by Oakland A’s 1968 #75 over all January draft. Long time special assistant to Tom “T-bone” Giordano who was Super scout and senior advisor to GMs of the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves. Columnist for New York Sportsday, Bronx Chronicle and now Latino Sports. Has covered baseball, both amateur, college, minor leagues and MLB, college football, tennis, college basketball, Ironman events and soccer. Lifetime New Yorker and now covers the west coast. Based in Los Angeles exclusively for Latino Sports.

Rich Mancuso is a senior writer, who has been with Latino Sports since 2003. He has covered countless New York Mets, Yankees, and MLB teams along with some of the greatest boxing matches over the years along with other pro and college sports events. He is an award-winning sports journalist and previously worked for The Associated Press, New York Daily News, Gannett, and other publications and hosted numerous radio and TV sports programs in a career that spans almost 40 years. Rich has tutored and helped forge many young writers.

Hector Beauchamp is our newest addition to the Latino Sports family. Hector joins us as the Social Media Manager/Digital Content Creator for Latino Sports. Hector was the founder and creator of Uptown Sports TV has excellent experience in digital content creation in both English and Spanish. Hector is a proud New Yorker & Nuyorican with a passion for all types of New York Sports and a deep love for his Puerto Rican culture and heritage.

Julian Guilarte is a videographer and journalist of Latino Sports. He joined the team in February of 2023. His major interest is baseball. Julian has been covering the New York Yankees and Somerset Patriots for several years. He graduated in May of 2017 from William Paterson University, (Wayne, New Jersey), completing a B.A. in Communications.

Joel Rodríguez, a Puerto Rican native raised in the vibrant Bushwick neighborhood of New York City, is a passionate individual with a diverse range of interests. He’s deeply rooted in the world of baseball and sports in general, however, his passions extend beyond the field, encompassing a strong commitment to youth and education. Currently pursuing a career as a sports journalist and videographer, Joel is an emerging talent in the industry. Joel is looking to create a positive impact in the Latino Sports team with his networking and communication skills opening new doors and opportunities for the team.

Nabila Parnella, an Indonesian native, who has been raised in New York City for over 20 years, and a 2018 graduate from Baruch College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, has been a boxing enthusiast ever since she got introduced to the sport in 2013. She has also been an athlete since she was young and even had to balance volleyball, flag football, and basketball in high school. The determination and dedication Nabila displays consistently shows in her boxing coverage, previously with Premier Boxing Champions as one of their Freelance Writers and now, here with Latino Sports.

Fauris Marmol, @BigLeagueViews on Instagram is a young Dominican from Queens, NY, who was born in the Dominican Republic but raised in New York City since four years old. Being an athlete himself, he is very knowledgeable in many sports like the MLB, NBA, NFL, UFC, Boxing, WNBA, NHL, MLS, F1 Racing, ect. He is a new content creator who has one year in the game doing on & off the field interviews with all the athletes/celebrities in today’s sports/entertainment world. 

His questions & overall content gives viewers a fun perspective of the athlete’s/celebrities life on & off the field, focusing on many things such as fashion, food, travels, match ups, workouts, and many game related questions. He is associated with Latino Sports to bridge the gap that there is between both the Spanish & English speaking world in sports & shine light on the hard work, talent & influence that the latin culture brings to sports & overall entertainment, as well as many other cultures do.

Melissa Aguirre is a proud New York City native and Queens resident. Growing up, she developed a love for sports, thanks to her older brother and dad, while watching baseball together, playing catch, and playing all sports under the sun. Sports and movement have always been at the core of who Melissa is. For the past seven years, she has been teaching physical education after graduating from SUNY Cortland, and holds a master’s degree in sports management from CUNY Brooklyn College.

In addition to recently becoming an official trainer for NIKE in NYC, Melissa is a coach in girls high school soccer and softball. She also holds a functional strength coach certification as well as a registered yoga teacher.

Julio A. Pabón has been part of the family business from its early years and he continues to consult on the creative strategy for Latino Sports. He was one of the pioneers introducing video into the Latino Sports digital platform. Julio was our first videographer, chronicling our early Latino MVP Awards, player interviews and special events. He produced and directed “Pa Que Sepa”, a digital series of fun, in-depth interviews of rising Latino sports personalities. Julio was also an associate producer for the award-winning documentary, “Legacy of 21”. Julio is an award-winning Producer/Director with over 15 years’ experience in non-scripted, documentary, audio and video content. Among Julio’s credits are VICE Media, Netflix and most recently, Spotify where Julio created and executive Produced the critically acclaimed Podcast, “LOUD: The History of Reggaeton”.

Kimberly Pabón has also been involved with Latino Sports from its early years. She coordinated Latino Sports fashion shows promoting and advising on our first female apparel line, Latina Sports. Kimberly is a special advisor on all present, Retro and any future Latino Sports apparel.

Kimberly also worked on coordinating many of our annual Latino Sports Celebrity Basketball Games and is presently exploring ways to expand our brand in the greater New England, Boston area.

Julian Kyle Cintrón Pabón is an artist and creative director. He specializes in the documentation and organization of apparel at Latino Sports. He believes the relevance of the platform transcends sports news and, in its wake, has amassed an important inventory of Jerseys, tee shirts and other retro collectibles. “All of these items are a part of a larger story that is about pop culture rooted in the cultures of the South Bronx, which is a literal birthplace. Many of these pieces are one-of-a-kind, and it is important that they are framed this way.”

Julian has been a part of Latino sports since childhood; running, playing, and learning in the original Latino Sports Clubhouses.

Bobby Thompson is a journalist of Latino Sports, joining the team in March of 2025. His major interest is Football as Bobby has been covering the NFL for several years with Bucs Report, Fansided, Full Press Coverage, and Jersey Sporting News. He was even given the opportunity to attend and cover the 2022 NFL Draft In Las Vegas. Bobby graduated in May of 2018 from William Paterson University, (Wayne, New Jersey), completing a B.A. in Communications, Broadcast Journalism.

Gage Godoy is an online graduate student at the University of Florida majoring in Sports Management. He graduated with his B.A in Business Administration in 2023 from California Baptist University. He has played football from age 4 up until he went to college. Gage is committed to using his knowledge and skills to highlight the achievements of Latino athletes and to foster a more inclusive sports community.

Joseph Ferrara has a long history in baseball at various levels. He not only played from Little League until age 41 but also coached, managed and became involved in the administration of baseball, serving as President of Little League and Babe Ruth League organizations. In recent years, he served as an assistant to Major League scout Tom Giordano until his passing in 2019. As an employee of the Boston Braves, his father introduced him to Major League baseball at an early age and he continues to “live and breath” baseball.

Francisco Rodriguez is a Southern California native whose life has always revolved around sports. A lifelong soccer player who competed at the collegiate level, he has an innate understanding of the game—its intensity, strategy, and the emotions that fuel every play. Now, as a photographer and co-owner of Rylin Productions, Francisco channels that passion into capturing the energy and raw moments of professional sports. Alongside his wife, Amber, he’s built a platform that brings fans closer to the action through dynamic visuals and compelling storytelling. 

Beyond the lens, Francisco is also a dedicated sports writer, using his voice to highlight athletes, moments, and narratives that deserve to be told.

Amber Douglas-Rodriguez, a California native, has storytelling woven into her very being. With a BA in Film, an MA in Education, and an Administrative Leadership Credential from the University of Southern California, she masterfully blends creativity with educational expertise, shaping narratives that inform, inspire, and ignite. A retired blog writer, Amber’s passion for storytelling hasn’t faded—it’s simply found new canvases, from the written word to the moving image. Alongside her husband, Francisco Rodriguez, she co-runs a freelance photography and videography business, Rylin Productions, capturing the vibrant mosaic of underrepresented communities. 

Through her lens, everyday moments transform into cinematic snapshots, and untold stories find their voice. Whether she’s behind the camera or sketching out her next creative vision, Amber approaches each project with a playful spirit and a deep commitment to amplifying the beauty, strength, and complexity of diverse experiences.

Juan Vene at the young age of 93, Juan is our most senior Sportswriter.  Born in Caracas, Venezuela, (Jan. 10, 1929.)  A veritable one-man army in Spanish-language baseball reporting, Juan Vene has been a broadcaster, author, sportswriter, columnist, and producer.  Vene was born José Rafael Machado Yanes and began his career as a reporter for Noticias Gráficas in Maracaibo, Venezuela. He has been publishing a daily baseball column for 61 years. We are proud to have Juan Vene, a true Hall of Fame candidate on our Latino Sports team.

Lloyd Carroll has been writing about sports since 1983 for Good Times magazine, the Long Island leisure-time bi-weekly which has been in print since 1969, and the Queens Chronicle, Queens’ largest weekly newspaper since 1989. In addition, you can read his columns at nysportsday.com, and hear his weekly commentary (Wednesdays at 6:30PM) on Westchester radio station WVOX (1460 on your AM dial and at wvox.com).

He holds a BA in Economics from Columbia University, as well as an MBA degree from the New York University Graduate School of Business Administration. He is also a CPA.

Steve Huntington – During Opening Day in 1998, Steve was in the Tampa Bay Rays’ press box to cover it, and he’s still there 26 years later. He grew up on the Jersey Shore in the late 50’s and early 60‘s as a Yankee fan when they were the only MLB team in New York. The Mets were then added to the mix and achieved the unlikely baseball equivalent of the President saying that we would put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Steve went to Syracuse University, graduated with a degree in television-radio and has had a 54-year radio career in Central New York, San Diego and Florida.

Miguel Muñoz is a 16-year-old sportswriter based out of New York City, NY. He is our youngest writer, but his writing expresses a rising seasoned journalist.  He is most established as a basketball writer but has also written about a multitude of other sports, ranging from baseball to college football to club soccer. Muñoz is currently an intern and staff writer at Latino Sports.

Dan Schlossberg a lifelong North Jersey resident, is a former AP sportswriter who now covers baseball for Latino Sports, forbes.com, USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Sports Collectors Digest, and others. He covered the 2021 World Series and National League Championship Series in Atlanta. Dan is also a travel writer who he has won multiple awards for his work, including the first Journalist of the Year award given by Historic Hotels of America. He does two live travel shows, TRAVEL THURSDAYS and TRAVEL ITCH RADIO. The latter is now in its 11th season.

Nicole Michele Pérez is a MLB reporter for Latino Sports. She has experience covering MLB games and events like Spring Training, regular-season games, All-Star games, the Postseason and World Series. Nicole graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2017 with a B.A. in Communications and earned a sports journalism certificate from the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism. Nicole is Puerto Rican and Guyanese, born and raised in The South Bronx.