The Belize Men's National Selection will be participating in a regional beach soccer competition this weekend and is heading to Costa Rica on Friday ahead of its first match with Panama.� It's not a sport that has particularly taken off in the country, but F.F.B. is doing everything it can to bring attention to beach soccer.� The twelve man team has been training rigorously and is expected to perform well in the upcoming games.� News Five's Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Beach soccer may not be as popular in Belize as it is in other countries, but it has not stopped the Football Federation of Belize from fielding a team to participate in the 2021 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship.� This afternoon, FFB introduced a roster that will be competing against other regional teams in Costa Rica this weekend.
Shane Orio, Executive Member, F.F.B.
"This is an important occasion, important because we have seen that we have the talent when it comes to beach soccer and we have an opportunity to grow the sport to improve our players.� And hopefully this experience will not motivate the players on this national team but also motivate players that were part of the process, part of the process that began almost three months ago with individual training."
Having trained as a team as well, the delegation leaves for Alajuela on Friday.� There are twelve players, including goalkeeper Rugerri Trejo, Sean Mas, Jermain Jones, Brandon Jones, Carlos Bent, Evan Mariano, Devaney Tillett, Devin Guzman, Sean Caliz, Marlon Meza, Raymond Ramos and Jahym McKenzie.� Belize's first game will be played against Panama.
Philip Marin, Technical Director, F.F.B.
"Two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals and from the quarterfinals they will go to the semifinals and the finals.� Our guys are well prepared and we believe that they are capable of advancing to the quarterfinals.� So we want to wish them all the best and we want the entire country to be behind our national beach soccer team."
According to Assistant Coach Ervin Casimero, the past three weeks have seen the team training exclusively at a beach facility where players have proven themselves ready to take on the challenge ahead.
Ervin Casimero, Assistant Coach, F.F.B.
"We are satisfied that they are technically, physically and tactically prepared for the CONCACAF championship that we'll be participating in in Alajuela, Costa Rica.� Our players are upbeat, they have the level of confidence that champions have and we are no doubt confident that they will represent Belize at the highest possible order.� So I say congratulations to our players, you have certainly worked hard and you have made sacrifices and you are showing that you will be good ambassadors of the country of Belize."
The tournament runs from May seventeenth to the twenty-third. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
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