30 Straight Championship Wins for SCA Seahawks

Over the weekend, the Saint Catherine Academy Seahawks volleyball team celebrated a historic victory at the annual Belize City championship game. This win marks their thirtieth straight victory, a remarkable milestone for the school. Today, the team held a press conference to reflect on their thirty years of success and to share what’s next for them. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

For the thirtieth year in a row, Saint Catherine Academy’s volleyball team has once again brought home the trophy from the Belize Central Volleyball Championships. This incredible streak highlights their dominance and dedication over the past three decades. SCA principal, Salome Tillett emphasized the significance of this accomplishment.

 

Salome Tillett, Principal, SCA

“The record streak that we celebrate today started before some of you were born, certainly before the team was born. It started under the principal sister Caritas Lawrence, sport director Brian Smutney, a Peace Corps and Alan Sharp as a volleyball coach. We track it back to 1995 but arguably maybe a little bit more because we saw a 1994 for nationals. So to get to nationals, we must have passed Central. So we may go a little bit  further back. Imagine, SCA streak started three years before Libero became a position, Sacil. Before the world knew what was Libero, we already had a streak.  And it started one year before beach volleyball was even included in the Olympics. That’s to tell you how long ago we are talking about.”

 

The team adds this milestone to the long list of achievements. In October, the girls brought home a bronze medal from the CODICADER games in El Salvador. Team captain Akili Jones, who also represents Belize on the national team alongside SCA alum Gareth Bruce, says this victory is just the beginning. The team’s success story is far from over.

 

Akili Jones, Captain

“We’d like to achieve this for many more years, more than thirty. It is a great thing to be a part of this legacy. It gives us motivation to push further, to want to be more, to continue pushing and creating more space for new children to come along. Other people, new generations, more and more to come and play volleyball and continue our legacy.”

 

This achievement showcases the incredible potential for young women across Belize to excel in sports. The team is made up of girls from all corners of the country, many of whom received scholarships from their head coach and volleyball legend, Lupita Quan. Sherlene Johnson, the current team coach, knows firsthand the impact of these opportunities. Born and raised in Dangriga, she moved to Belize City to join the team. Now, she’s dedicated to mentoring and shaping the next generation of volleyball stars.

 

Sherlene Johnson, Coach

“I used to play in a backyard with Mrs. Sabal.  Nonetheless, I came up here to follow my, to follow the volleyball career as well. And I end up here at SCA and miss Lupita , as well as some of the girls that have gotten scholarship from her. I got that as well.  And she took me under her wings, and I continued from there.”

 

Johnson joined the lineup as a line player and sees much of herself in Akili, the current captain of the team, who plays the same position.

 

Sherlene Johnson

“What inspired me, what had me here,  was the fact that I love the sport. I love what I do. And to be able to give back  is one of the greatest reward to see all the girls or ladies  become grateful about players and amazing women in society”

 

The twenty-one players on the SCA Seahawks juggle their schoolwork, home lives, and team commitments. Thanks to the support of their families and the camaraderie with their teammates, they strive for excellence and keep bringing home the gold.

 

Salome Tillett

“These young women that you see today, they embody true, the true spirit of sport.  Through the years, we’ve stepped it up another notch, and we have our eyes on international tournaments, including our first participation at CODICADER, where we won a bronze in 2012, and we did it again in 2024.You see the results, but we see the other side of it. We see the hard work, the countless hours of practice, The pain, the aches, the relentless scheduling, the juggling of the work, the disciplined commitments of our athletes, and that is truly what we are here to celebrate today.”

 

On Friday, the team will travel to Orange Walk to compete in the national tournament, where they hope they will bring home another win for the Seahawks. Britney Gordon for News Five.