Belize plays baseball at CODICADER Games in Panama
For the first time, Belize is competing in baseball at the CODICADER Games in Panama. Softball National Champs, San Pedro High School, along with several skilled athletes from across the country make up the team of sixteen players that will compete from the twelfth to the fifteenth of October. The team will play against other Central American countries, with the exception of El Salvador. Since Belize plays softball and not baseball, the team has been training for the past six months to sharpen their techniques and skills in the sport. News Five caught up with the delegation headed by Sports Coordinator, Paul Kelly, Coach, Marion Mejia, and Team Captain, Konrad Gonzalez. Kelly says that Belize will surprise its opponents.
Paul Kelly, Sports Coordinator, San Pedro High School
“Males in Belize play softball, so in the past six months; we were in a transition—changing from playing softball to baseball. So it is a first time event. It is actually history that San Pedro High School and Belize is actually embarking on. The team consists of a total of twenty-two individuals—we have six coaches as well as around sixteen players. But these players are not just only from San Pedro. Home base San Pedro ahs around eleven students and the rest comes from as far as Placencia, Belmopan and Belize City. Baseball is much faster. We have been playing games in Chetumal. We have a coach from Belize, Coach Jones, who has worked on our skills; learning the proper techniques. Pitching, etc., we have a coach in Chetumal, Coach Primo, who did an excellent job with us and we have played several teams in Chetumal at the Youth level, at the University level as well as people who are above thirty.”
Duane Moody
“And how did that go? Are you guys ready for the games?”
Paul Kelly
“I believe that we are going to give a good showing. The last game that we played in Chetumal against senior individuals we were winning at the bottom of the seventh—two; one—but at the end they won three to two. But I believe that if we play similar to how we played that game about two weeks ago, we are going to definitely turn some heads in Panama.”
Konrad Gonzalez, Team Captain
“It wasn’t easy but we already knew the basic fundamentals of hitting and pitching. It’s just the transition from softball to baseball and stuff. Pretty much it is almost the same, but not really. But we worked through it and we got it really quick. We gotta be sharp throughout the playoffs. We gotta see what’s happening. What we already know is that they try to underestimate us and stuff, but we have to be strong and not let them get in our heads.”
Duane Moody
“Any secret weapon?”
“Ya, but it is a secret.”
Paul Kelly
“We have ace pitching, we have great hitting; therefore, I think we are ready and ripe. So if they underestimate us, I believe that we can definitely see a medal there.”
The delegation returns on Tuesday, October sixteenth.
Very Proud of being a SPHS graduate.. Over the years SPHS has proved to be an excellent instituion both nationaly and internationally… we had Food and nutrition Championships, basket ball Championships, Math olympiad Championships and we now excel to represent Belize.. Im very sure the boys will do a great job because they have the leadership of an amazing educator like Mr. Paul Kelly… Way to Go!!!