Payment For National Team Players and Beacon’s Historic Softball Chip

Belize’s sporting spirit shines once again. Good evening, I’m Shane Williams and welcome to another exciting episode of Sports Monday brought to you by the National Sports Council of Belize. This week the Beacon Softball Club made history in Camalote Village, and another champion was crowned in tennis but first, what about those spectacular athletes who recently raised Belize’s flag in international competition?

 

Belize’s men’s volleyball team was treated to heroes’ welcome after securing the country’s first ever gold medal in the Central American Championships. They were invited to TV appearances, dinner with political leaders and motorcades across the country. But nothing else.

 

And while they at least got the praise, procession and pageantry they deserve, Belize’s U-20 men basketball team delivered Belize’s greatest sports accomplishment since softball’s Golden Girls fifty years ago, finishing third in the Central American and Caribbean Games and earning a spot in the PanAm Games. They got no hero’s welcome and their historic accomplishment was barely even mentioned. Former national team player, now Minister of State for Sports Devin Daly is hoping to change this.

 

Devin Daly, Minister of State, Youth and Sports

“I will go on record to say that I am one of the persons and Minister Mahler we’re advocating to create some type of policy stating in terms of when these sporting teams or individuals achieve a certain medaling or placement in these tournaments, that there’s actually an outlined compensation for them. Now, what that will be, please don’t quote me, what that will be is still to be decided. However, I agree that there should be something rewarded to them.”

 

Now let’s look at this weekend’s spectacular performances.

 

In the warm and wonderful village of Camalote, the Belize Softball and Baseball Federation hosted the thirty-fourth annual Women’s National Championships with seven teams participating. We kick things off in the first inning of the semi-finals match between the Belize Bank Bulldogs and the Camalote Elites when this single to left field by highest batting average winner Karlene Lewis set traffic on the bases. With the table set, team captain Molly Coye drove in the first run of the game with this hot shot that was too much for the second base to handle.    Later in the fourth inning, Karlene Lewis struck again with this double down the left field line which scores two for the Elites.

 

Ashley Lucas with this hit down four to one in the bottom of the seventh. And Joline Davis sending this one through the five-six hole with one out, set up a solid come back effort. And this base hit up the middle by Agnes Lucas scored two runs to bring it to a one run game in the final at bat. But fortunately for the home fans, this check swing grounder went straight to first base for the final out. Setting up a championship match with four-peat champions Beacon Softball Club.

 

The Camalote Elites, playing their third straight game after fighting back through the loser’s bracket, had no answer for the dominant pitching of Beacon’s Mexican phenom Anna Rosas. And Beacon’s offense stayed hot with homerun champ shortstop Sharet Vernon here leading the charge once again. With an eight-nil lead and victory all but assured, this final pitch from Rosas was almost anticlimactic but the realization that they had done the unthinkable and won five straight national championships, sent the team and their fans into a frenzy. This year marks the first year the Federation was allowed to award cash prizes with the five-peat champs receiving fifteen hundred dollars.

 

In the Billy Musa Sr. Open Men’s Championship, the three-day event at the Pickwick Tennis Court came down to this finals match up between Ismar Amaya and Braulio Bautista. With this smooth approach at the net, Amaya secured this year’s open championship. Congratulations to all who made the event possible.

 

In Cycling, coming up this weekend Belize is hosting the Caribbean Junior Road Cycling Championships. We encourage motorists to exercise patience as major roads will be closed for a period of time. And we especially encourage Belizeans to line up on the roadside with your flags and cheer on our national team.

 

Before I say our goodbyes, I want to remind everyone that the first ever Belize Sports Summit is coming up on September second and third at the Belize Civic Center. So, executives, coaches, players, fans, do not miss it! That’s all we have for you this week. I’m Shane Williams once again reminding you that friendly competition unites and balling is life so keep balling Belize!

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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