COVID Pandemic Affected the National Female Volleyball Team

While the team experienced yet another loss today, BVA President Allan Sharp says their performance was affected by two factors:  the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the fact that some veteran players are away studying and could not participate in the tournament. Sharp says, however, that the team will not give up that easily.

Allan Sharp

Allan Sharp, President, Belize Volleyball Association

“I expect Nicaragua and Costa Rica to be the strong ones for this tournament and I think that some other countries had some issues like us, but of all of the Central American countries, we are the ones that had the least time so definitely it affected the amount of preparation and the level of preparation. Unfortunately we didn’t have time or a way to have practice matches which the female team normally does in going across to Mexico so the first match especially was a big learning curve. Other countries have been open for much longer than us. They have had their national tournaments, their club tournaments. Keep in mind some of our top girls went away to university so imagine had we had them to compete here and at least half the team is out at school. So there is a lot that’s happening, but definitely I think the girls – the ones that are new are growing up very fast, the ones that are older are leading with experience. So I can only look forward to good things.”

On Thursday, the team plays against Guatemala at one p.m.