BELIZE CITY, Mon. July 17, 2017–Returning to Belize on Southwest Airlines yesterday afternoon from Colorado, USA, was a triumphant group of young Belizean U-13 footballers and their coaches, after having made a splendid showing over the past week at the Rush Fest international youth soccer camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Although Rush Belize Country Director, Daniel Fabro, maintained that “the spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie among the teams from a variety of backgrounds” was equally important as the competition results, the delegation is justly proud, and so are local fans and family members, of their outstanding accomplishments, winning 3 of 4 games played by big margins. Belize Rush, as the team was called at the Rush Soccer Camp tournament, won its first game, 8-0, against Michigan Rush on Monday; then 9-2 against Iowa/Kansas Rush on Tuesday. After a day off on Wednesday, when one of the Belize Rush players attended a Rush Elite Training session and got injured, Belize Rush lost 2-0 to New Mexico Rush on Thursday. The team rebounded on Friday to defeat Hawaii Rush, 8-3.
Players on the Warriors FC (Rush Belize) team, and their primary school and parent U-13 team, were: Anthony Usher (Holy Redeemer, Warriors FC), Jaymion Cacho (Ebenezer, Warriors FC), Keffer Perteau (St Mary’s, Warriors FC), Kaylen McFoy (St. Joseph, Warriors FC), Ali Flores, Jr. (Calvary Temple, Warriors FC) Kayia Requena (James Garbutt, City Boys), Delhart Dominguez (Bethel Primary, Brown Bombers), Demille Flores (Dangriga), Dylon Gongora (Roaring Creek, YWAM), Javan Belisle (Roaring Creek, YWAM), Reed Ho (Roaring Creek, YWAM), Zylin Flowers (Roaring Creek, YWAM), Jaheem Wiltshire (Cotton Tree, YWAM), Tyrese Augustine (Orange Walk), and Javan Smith (Orange Walk).
Coaches were: Julius Allen (Belize City), Wilmore Staine (Belize City), (Santiago Valencia (YWAM Roaring Creek), and Dmitri Fabro (Belize City.
Director and delegation head, Daniel Fabro said that there is a possibility for four players, who impressed the Rush Soccer talent scouts and coaches, to attend an advanced soccer camp in Arizona sometime in November of this year. There are opportunities out there, though some of the boys were shy and a bit homesick on the trip; but if they don’t grab the chance now, when the scouts call them up, they might not get the chance again, said Fabro. The players being cited for a possible trip in November are Keffer Perteau, Kayia Requena, Demille Flores and Javan Belisle.
Below is from a Saturday post by Dmitri Fabro on the Rush Belize facebook page after their final game in Colorado on Friday:
“Yesterday, Rush Belize won 8-3 against Hawaii Rush. Goals were scored by Keffer “Beefy” Pertau (4), Demille Flores (3), Zylin “Cutest” Flowers (1). That was the last game of the fest.
“The Belize Team left a huge impression among the Rush community. This will be the beginning of a new era of football in Belize; but it cannot grow without the support of the Belizean community. Together we are strong and united.
“Big shout-out to Mr. Daniel Fabro (Director of Rush Belize). Without this man’s hard work and dedication towards these kids, none of this would be possible. Also, shout-out to coach Santi Valencia for mentoring these kids and teaching them not only the game, but life lessons too. Big-up assistant coaches Wilmore Staine and Julius Allen. Also, our Belizean American friend Mrs. Charlotte Nal who connected us with Rush and who also did so much behind the scenes for these kids, and so much more people who had their part in this trip.
“We of the Rush community hope that we helped these kids see that there is a brighter future out there; and we also hope that this trip inspired more Belizeans and parents to be more involved with not only their kids’ lives, but lives of kids who live in poverty and gang areas.”