Primary schools battle for city softball title

We won our first World Cup qualifier in football, and U.B. is the top Central American University in basketball. But tonight we’ll turn the skill level down a bit to follow the Belize City Primary School softball tournament. News Five’s Kendra Griffith reports from Rogers Stadium.

Kendra Griffith, Reporting
The fans were boisterous….

The players confident….

Gloria Serrano, Softball Player, Queen Square
“The team’s chances of winning is twenty-twenty perfect.”

Devin Bladden, Softball Player, Queen Square
“Last year we tried and I think this year we will try harder.”

Kedidra Tun, Softball Player, St. Martins
“I noh feel nervous, I feel excited and I feel like we wah win.”

And the coaches, ready…

Melisha Williams, Coach, Queen Square
“Shanice Guy. You are playing second base Shanice. Roshane, centre field.”

St. Martins Teacher
“Right field dah right deh. You dah short stop. That dah between deh. Left field dah way over yonder.”

Taking the field in games five and six of the 2008 Belize City Primary School Softball Tournament are St. Martin’s and Queen Square in the female division with Queen Square facing Wesley Upper in the males. The event is coordinated by the National Sports Council.

Marvin Ottley, National Sports Coordinator
“This is the third event on our yearly calendar, softball and it’s one of the most popular sports on our calendar also. Belize have two zones which is the city tournaments and then the rural zone and next week is the rural elimination. Both champs from the elimination then proceed to a district finals.”

Last year Queen Square made it into the semi-finals, but this year they are hoping to go all the way.

Melisha Williams
“From in probably January we started to workout both male and female teams and I think that we have a good chance of reaching at least the finals in this competition and I hope that we do our best.”

Kendra Griffith
“Was it hard for you to get them to sign up?”

Melisha Williams
“No, actually it’s like too much of them and we just decided to cut down the list.”

Kendra Griffith
“Why did you decide to sign up for the softball team?”

Deon Roches, Softball Player, Queen Square
“Because it’s my last year at Queen Square Anglican School and I just wanted to attend a sport before I go. I mi very lazy and I just mi need to get out of my house fi wah lee while and just go do something, get active.”

Devin Bladden, Softball Player, Queen Square
“Because my friend is in there and he told me, “let’s do it together”, so.”

Kendra Griffith
“You like it?”

Devin Bladden
“Yes ma’am.”

Reina Gentle, Softball Player, Queen Sqaure
“Because I think its fun.”

And while Queen Square is going for gold, the St. Martin’s girls are looking for some respect … and of course bragging rights.

Kedidra Tun
“We di try mek them know that we dah no St. Martins the poorest, we could beat other schools as long as we try and as long as we noh put down fi we self.”

Janelle Grinage, St. Martin Student
“I know that other people could tell them thing, but they noh listen to weh those other people she, they just ignore them and she they wah do it.”

Kendra Griffith
“And you think they wah do it?”

Janelle Grinage
“I noh think, I know.”

When game time finally arrived, Queen Square got off to a fast start, striking out the St. Martin’s girls before they could score a run.

Queen Square had better luck when it was their turn at bat, scoring eight in the first inning. They would double their score by the end of game, beating St. Martin’s 16 to 1.

The Queen Square boys were not as fortunate as they fell to Wesley Upper nine to seven.

According to National Sports Coordinator, Marvin Ottley, one aspect of primary school sports that the council is trying to improve is that of coaching.

Marvin Ottley
“Some schools have teachers that are versed with the sport but that is not enough. If we can do a little bit more in training and preparing them I think it’s going to be better for all of us.”

Kendra Griffith
“That is something you are looking at?”

Marvin Ottley
“Certainly, I’m hoping that we could try to create a stronger training unit that we could spread ourself across the country and try and improve training in every aspect.”

Queen Square takes to the field once again on Saturday going up against the Salvation Army boys and girls. That same day, Buttonwood Bay faces St. Mary’s in another male-female double header. Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.

All games are played at Rogers Stadium and admission is free. The action starts at eight-thirty Saturday morning.