Volleyball Athlete Francis Hauze Named Freshman of the Year
Speaking about volleyball, one Belizean volleyball athlete is making waves in the U.S. for Calumet College of Saint Joseph in Indiana. Francis Hauze was one of four Belizean volleyball athletes who successfully acquired athletics scholarships. Hauze’s level of performance over the first season in the U.S. made him “Freshman of the Year”. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Crimson Wave’s Freshman of the Year has been awarded to Belizean volleyball athlete Francis Hauze.
Francis Hauze
Francis Hauze, Volleyball Athlete
“It was a pretty exciting feeling when I got the news, but I put in the work and I guess the other teams saw that and they voted me freshman of the year. So I am pretty thankful and grateful for the other teams that voted for me. I remember one game that we had and I scored forty-three points; that’s my career high for right now. So I just keep that same motivation of getting better and better each year.”
In 2021, Hauze and Edgar Martinez acquired scholarships to play and pursue Bachelor degrees in Graphic Design. Hauze initially planned to be in Canada three years ago, but was not able to get the requisite student visa. And then, despite COVID, he persevered and is now studying and playing at Calumet College.
Francis Hauze
“The experience has been different. I had to adapt to the weather and to the players. We had a lot of international players here so you had to adapt to different cultures as well. I had four other Belizean guys here, so we stuck together and that’s how we did it. Coming here, the coach told me and Edgar and the other guys that we need to be focused on our books because if we are not focused, then we are not going to play. So we had conversations about that before the season, the whole team, so all of us are focusing on our work. And also they had tutoring services here for free. So when you are free, you go to the library, you do your homework and you get tutoring.”
His story is not only one of success, but serves to motivate others. Hauze grew up from south side Belize City in the Saint Martin De Porres area. Through the discipline of the sport and having played on the national male volleyball team, he has beaten the odds and is now one of the top outside hitters in college.
Francis Hauze
“I started playing back in 2015. I was a freshman in high school as well. I started then and I just stuck with it. It helped me with school because I had to be in school to play on the national team. And I played on the school team back home so I just stuck with it and eventually it got me here. I got a scholarship to further my education and get my bachelor’s degree. So yeah, volleyball has done a lot of work for me. So I am grateful for the sport. You have to look at your surroundings and you have to want better for yourself. So if you are in a tough situation and tough surroundings, you just better yourself and you can’t focus on the wrong things. And you have to have a strong support system; you look for people with strong support system because I have a very strong support system. My girlfriend, her family and also my friends – they keep me sane and in line with whatever I want to do. So stay focus, have the support system, find support if you have to and just stick to the sport.”
Three others are with Hauze: Thomas Garbutt, Ethan Dawson and Edgar Martinez.
Duane Moody for News Five.
