Altitude FC (Belize)

Altitude FC
Full name	Altitude Football Club
Nickname(s)	The A Team AFC
Founded	2013
Ground	Michael Ashcroft Stadium; Independence, Belize
Capacity	2,500
Owner	Jordan Zabaneh
Chairman	Adrian Gonzalez
Manager	Wilmer Garcia
League	Premier League of Belize
2022–23	Champions (Opening Season)
Website	Club website
Home colours	Away colours

Altitude FC is a football club based in Independence, Belize. Their semi-professional male team competes in the Premier League of Belize, the highest level of football in the country; their female team, named the Altitude Chicks, compete in the National Amateur Women's League (NAWL). They play their home matches at Michael Ashcroft Stadium in downtown Independence. Altitude FC was founded in 2013 and represents the Mid-South Football Association from the Stann Creek District.

History[edit]

Altitude FC was founded in 2013 as a 1st division football club. During their first year, they competed in the Ferguson Cup, an amateur tournament that was held in Placencia. They then competed in the 1st division Banana League tournament. They won a championship in 2018 against Sagitun Farm 8.

Following a lease asgreement with the Placencia Assassins, an existing Premier League of Belize (PLB) franchise from the same region, Altitude FC competed in the 2018–19 season as the Altitude Assassins.^[1] After completing a year as Altitude Assassins, the lease with the Placencia Assassins was terminated and they regained their PLB franchise.

In 2019, Altitude FC entered the PLB as a provisional franchise, placing fourth in the 2019–20 Opening Season.^[2] In 2020, Altitude was officially inducted in the PLB and given full membership. The season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and replaced with the FFB Top League, a temporary league organized by the Football Federation of Belize. Altitude finished as runners-up in both seasons of the FFB Top League behind Verdes FC.

The PLB resumed for the 2022–23 season and Altitude won the opening season playoffs against Verdes. The match was tied 1–1 following regulation and extra time and was decided in a penalty shoot-out that ended 11–10.^[3]^[4]

Stadium[edit]

Michael Ashcroft Stadium was built in 1994 as a multipurpose sporting complex in Independence, Belize. It has been host to a number of amateur and semi-professional football clubs over the years, including Sagitun FC, Texmar Boys, and the Placencia Assassins. In 2018, Altitude FC moved to Michael Ashcroft Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 2,500 and is managed by the Independence Sports & Stadium Committee under the Independence Village Council.

Logo[edit]

As of 2020^[update], the club crest for Altitude is a blue shield with yellow stripes. It features the club's name as well as the Belize coat of arms. The yellow stripes represent the region's banana industry.

Current squad[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	COL	Oscar Palomino
2	DF	BLZ	Kendale Butler
3	DF	BLZ	Elroy Coe
4	DF	BLZ	Aldin Forman
5	DF	BLZ	Allan Barillas
6	FW	COL	Andres Orozco
7	MF	BLZ	Rene Leslie
8	FW	BLZ	Jardehl Muschamp
9	FW	COL	Miguel Garcia
10	MF	BLZ	Dellon Torres
11	MF	BLZ	Luis Torres
12	DF	BLZ	James Mejia
13	DF	BLZ	Jose Urbina


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
14	MF	BLZ	Marvin Tzalam
15	MF	COL	Adrian Gutierrez
16	DF	BLZ	Ashley Torres
18	MF	BLZ	Gabriel Ramos Jr.
19	MF	BLZ	Jeffton Apolonio
20	MF	COL	Ronaldo Vergara
21	MF	BLZ	Zerick Cabral
22	GK	BLZ	Devin Longsworth
23	DF	BLZ	Dalton Eiley
29	MF	BLZ	Ashton Torres
70	FW	BLZ	Collin Westby
99	FW	BLZ	Jonard Castillo

Management[edit]

Name	Role
Jordan Zabaneh	Owner/CEO
Adrian Gonzales	General Manager/Team Physician
Enrique Zabaneh	Assistant manager
Warren Brooks	Accountant
Wilmer Garcia	Head coach
Gabriel Ramos	Goalkeeper coach

List of managers[edit]

Wilmer Garcia (2021-) Football Federation of Belize
Hilberto Muschamp (2020-2021) Premier League of Belize
Hilberto Muschamp (2019-2020) Premier League of Belize
Renan Couoh (2019-2019) Premier League of Belize
Wilmer Garcia (2018-2019) Premier League of Belize
Gabriel Ramos (2017-2018) ISSC Banana League
Devin Longsworth (2016-2017) ISSC Banana League
Robbie Cadle (2015-2016) ISSC Banana League
Robbie Cadle (2014-2015) ISSC Banana League
John King Sr. (2013-2014) Rodwell Ferguson Cup

References[edit]

^ "Week 2 results in PLB 2018-2019 Opening Season". Amandala. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
^ "PLB 2019-2020 Opening Season kicks off this weekend". Amandala. July 24, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
^ "Altitude FC is PLB's opening-season champion". San Pedro Sun. December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
^ Swasey, Deshan (December 13, 2022). "Altitude are national football champs, defeated Verdes in penalty shootout". Amandala. Retrieved December 14, 2022.

[1] "Week 2 results in PLB 2018-2019 Opening Season". Amandala. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2019.

[2] "PLB 2019-2020 Opening Season kicks off this weekend". Amandala. July 24, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2022.

[3] "Altitude FC is PLB's opening-season champion". San Pedro Sun. December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.

[4] Swasey, Deshan (December 13, 2022). "Altitude are national football champs, defeated Verdes in penalty shootout". Amandala. Retrieved December 14, 2022.

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