The 2023 National Primary School Volleyball Championships
The National Primary School Volleyball Championships were held today at the Orange Walk Multipurpose Complex, where twelve teams in male and female categories competed for bragging rights, medals and trophies after a three-year hiatus. While they are all district champions, only one female team and one male team will walk away with the title for 2023. But who will it be? News Five’s Duane Moody was in Orange Walk today and stopped by to witness some of the matches. Here’s his report.
Duane Moody, Reporting
It’s back – the national primary school volleyball championships have returned and today, the district champions converged in Orange Walk for the finals to determine the best teams countrywide in male and female categories. It’s the culmination of weeks of competition.
Rodwell Ferguson
Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Youth & Sports
“There was a loll after COVID for practically two years and now we restart the primary school sports. So when volleyball is over, we go to another sport. As the minister responsible, I told my team that we are here to work for the betterment of the people and the country. Belize has talented athletes, but because they are not properly trained and organized, sometimes we do extremely bad, but if we can focus on them, we can see complete change and complete differences. If you notice, volleyball is going to a next level at the senior level and if we can start from the junior to the senior, we can have the best volleyball team practically in the world.”
National Sports Coordinator, Kaya Cattouse breaks down the competition for the day.
Kaya Cattouse
Kaya Cattouse, National Sports Coordinator
“At the sports council, we promote gender equality so wherever there are male games playing; likewise, it is happening in the female category. What we have here today are two divisions – one each containing one north team, one central team and one south team. So the best two teams from these two divisions will advance to the semi-finals. So we start with six, at the semi-finals we have four and then at the final we have the third place game and then the championship game.”
While there hasn’t been a national primary school competition for the past three years, San Marcos RC School in Cayo District, former three-time champions, wants to regain the title as national winners. Brando Quintanilla plays on the team and says that he and his teammates have been putting in the work.
Brando Quintanilla
Brando Quintanilla, San Marcos RC
“I have already represented three times and I have already one year playing volleyball.”
Duane Moody
“They are saying that you are one of the strongest players on the team. Talk to us about that. How long have you been playing?”
Brando Quintanilla
“Because I was having training for the national team and they teach me. And I practice with my teacher every evening, practice skills and all those things. And my brothers always teach me with a coach, practicing skills and everything.”
Female junior athletes are competing just as hard as the males and Emaun Marin, of Holy Redeemer School, representing the Belize District, says that they are planning to take the title this year.
Emaun Marin
Emaun Marin, Holy Redeemer School
“It’s been great because we have all worked together for a good while and we are here, so it is very exciting.”
Duane Moody
“They’re saying that you’re one of the best female volleyball athletes. Let’s talk about when you started to play and how you’ve grown over the years.”
Emaun Marin
“I started since last year summer. I’ve been good, doing every day, working hard.”
Winners received individual medals, trophies for their schools and bragging rights. Duane Moody for News Five.
In the female division, Holy Redeemer School are now the national champions. Second place went to Toledo Christian Academy and third place to Santa Elena Primary from Cayo. In the male division, San Marcos RC from Cayo took first place, while Holy Redeemer School came in second and Independence Primary rounded out the top three. The most valuable player was identified as Brando Quintanilla is San Marcos RC.
