Jasmin Armstrong; High Goals for Women’s Football
Jasmin Armstrong
In tonight’s edition of the Bright Side with Sabreena Daly, we bring you a special interview with a young woman not only making a name for herself in women’s football, but also bringing attention to Belize’s national female team. Here is Sabreena Daly.
Jasmin Armstrong , Goalkeeper, Women’s National Football Team
“Prior to this tournament, I was skeptical about coming back to football. I was already into power lifting and into other stuff but I decided to come back. Having recognition like this made me realize that I still have more in me. There’s still more that I can do. There’s still more that I can learn.”
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
Jasmin Armstrong, powerhouse goalkeeper, has been playing football for most of her youth. Groomed by the seniors in the game, she rose to her potential quicker than most and is regarded as a dedicated player that always has her head in the game.
Wayne Casimiro
Wayne Casimiro, Head Coach
“Since 2020, I became the head coach for the Sr. women’s team and that is where we started with Jasmin in terms of being her head coach at the senior national level. Jasmin’s determination is a very high one. There’s no need for me to be behind her in anything. She’s always had that drive of wanting to do extra and making herself better. So that’s an important part of her characteristic.”
But her most recent recognition was made a few weeks after Belize played as qualifiers for the ONCACAF-W championships to be held in Mexico later this year. After taking nil losses from El Salvador and Panama, then drawing with Aruba at 1-1, Jasmin’s play against Barbados made eyes fall on Belize. Although they did not make it to championships, Jasmine was selected as the top 11 of CONCACAF-W’s qualifiers. A distinction for the best of the best. She recorded 28 saves total, the highest amount of saves recorded by a single player in that round of competition.
Wayne Casimiro
“We always tell our players that when they step on the pitch, they have to play with heart. The aim is always to get better. They have to play as a unit on the pitch so for the last game we played against Barbados, we played with 10 people from almost the get go of the game and I told them they have to play with heart because if you don’t play with heart, you’re not going to yield results and they proved themselves on that day.”
Jasmin Armstrong
“This past qualifying tournament that we had, a couple weeks back, I came home and the other morning I woke up to a lot of excitement from my teammates and my coaching staff about being top 11, picked by CONCACAF-W; which is a very big deal in the football world, especially female football.”
CONCACAF, the confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, represents one of FIFA’s six continental governing bodies for the association of Football. Recognition by this body places not only Jasmin, but team Belize in the upper echelon of players in the association.
Sabreena Daly
“What does CONCACAF represent in the football world?”
Jasmin Armstrong
“They represent something great. Especially this new CONCACAF-W campaign that they’re running. They are really pushing to get the picture put there of what female football really is and all that we can and all that we are bringing to the table. Female football has been on the rise for a very long time and I think that their campaign is to make people realize what female football can do for many young people including myself. I think that after this last qualifying tournament that we had, we are definitely being looked at and we are seen now in Central America and the CONCACAF world as being a team that can come out and represent. It’s not just a Belize team that, “Oh we’re going to come out and play Belize”. No, we’re starting to set the bar that you’re going to play Belize. You’re going to play a team that’s prepared. You’re going to play a team that has well rounded players. And as for me, to have our country’s flag being flown so high, it’s a great feeling for me because now countries are going to know that this is not an easy ride for us anymore. Belize has talent and Belize is bringing the best they can to the table.”
And while all athletes have a dream, what’s Jasmin’s?
Jasmin Armstrong
“The dream now is to continue working and live up to that standard that I was put at in this last tournament. It made me realize that I could do more. And even if it’s not to travel somewhere, even if it’s not to travel outside of the country, whatever I learn and the experiences that I get, it’s to teach the next generation that is coming behind me and that is what is important. The movement that my team and I were able to set is a big one. It represents everybody that comes after us. So it’s important that we continue to improve and it’s important that we continue to learn. It’s important that we continue to set the bar high so that we can continue to raise the level of football here in the country.”
Looking on the bright side, I’m Sabreena Daly.
