In Loving Memory of

Jonathan Manzo Chavez

1998-2008

On Saturday, November 15, 2008, Santa Clara Youth Soccer and Santa Clara Sporting Club lost one of their brightest stars. Jonathan Manzo Chavez, a beloved young player on Sporting's Boys Under 10 Team, was taken from us far too soon in a tragic traffic accident as he and his family were returning home from a soccer tournament in Manteca.

That Saturday morning began like so many others for Jonathan and his family. Together with his mother and two siblings, he traveled to Manteca for a NorCal State Cup qualifying tournament. His father, though unable to stay for the entire tournament due to work commitments, made the journey anyway—determined not to miss the chance to watch his son play. Jonathan didn't disappoint. He played beautifully that day, showcasing the talent and passion that made him so special, and capped off a perfect day on the field by scoring a goal in front of the people he loved most.

No one could have known it would be Jonathan's last goal.

On the drive home, tragedy struck when another driver attempted to pass on a two-lane road and collided head-on with the Manzo family's vehicle. In the chaos that followed, even as rescue workers arrived at the scene, Jonathan's devotion to his team shone through. When they tried to remove his Sporting shorts, he pleaded with them not to cut them—he had a game the next day. When they reached for his jersey, he called out to his mother to take it off herself, worried it would be lost or damaged. Before being airlifted to the hospital, she carefully removed his beloved #8 green and white jersey, and Jonathan made her promise to keep it safe.

In those final moments, Jonathan showed us the depth of his love—for the game, for his teammates, and for the jersey he wore with such pride. His spirit, his dedication, and his pure joy for soccer will never be forgotten.

We will always remember "Pretty Boy"—a young man whose heart belonged to the beautiful game and to the team he called family. His memory lives on in every player who puts on the green and white, and in every goal scored in his honor.

Forever a Sporting player. Forever in our hearts.

A boys' youth soccer team in green and white striped jerseys with black shorts, standing on a grassy field with two coaches, one on each side. The team members are smiling, with some posing with hands behind their backs and others with arms at their
Three boys standing outdoors with arms around each other, smiling at the camera.
Two young boys playing soccer on a grassy field, one in a yellow and black uniform, the other in a green and white striped uniform, competing for the ball.