BELIZE CITY, Wed. Sept. 8, 2021– At a Football Federation of Belize (FFB) zoom conference this morning, twenty names were announced and the players then presented individually as members of our Women’s National U20 Team that will represent Belize at the CONCACAF First Round of World Cup Qualifiers in Curacao over the next week.
Preliminary tryouts for the U20 female footballers countrywide began on the weekend of Sunday, July 4, of this year; and by Friday, July 9, a group of some 26 girls were called to camp to begin training in a bubble at the FFB headquarters. From those 26, the final 20 to comprise the national team were presented this morning.
Women’s football has trailed behind the men’s game in Belize for decades; but with disappointing results in recent years from the males, and with FIFA’s global drive to enhance the women’s game with greater inputs to encourage more competitions and better training, the Belizean women are catching up, and this talented and motivated young crop is poised to make a mark for Belize in international competition. The chant from the young females is “Girl Power!”
The team travels this Friday, September 10, to do battle in Curacao where a series of games are scheduled to run until September 19. The girls are focused, and will not be missing much in the way of celebrations back home, as Tenth activities will be muted due to Covid-19.
The 20 members of the Belize National U20 Women’s Team are: goalkeepers – Dennisha Pineda and Jahnel Nunez; defenders – Jessie McLaughlyn, Shanell Thomas, Shante Chacon, Saudy Rivera, Mikayla Munro, Jesselle Conorque and Carlene Tillett; midfielders –Tanya Garbutt, Janivi Quiroz, Aaliyah Herbert, Ashley Rodriguez, Tanya Teul, Anahie Blanco, Rhea Burgess and Shendra Casimiro; and forwards – Alisha Terry, Kaite Jones and Khalydia Velasquez.
Technical Staff: Head Coach – Wayne Casimiro; Assistant Coach – Iris Centeno; GK Coach – Miriam Villamil; Kit Manager – Herbert Trapp, Jr.; Physiotherapist – Thomas Rivars; Doctor – David Pacheco; Technical Director – Philip Marin; Team Manager – Tamara Recinos; Media – Fernando Sanchez.
Best of luck in the games; stay safe and blessed; and let the world know about our Belizean “Girl Power”! Let’s go, Belize!