Belize Female National Volleyball Team Player Fatima Ramirez Making Waves in Jacksonville, Florida
Welcome to this week’s edition of Sports Monday. I am Paul Lopez. Let’s kick this week’s coverage off with our player of the week. We had a conversation with one of our Female National Volleyball Team players, Fatima Ramirez, who is making major moves in Jacksonville, Florida. Ramirez is pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Edwards Waters University where she plays for the Lady Tigers. Only recently, she was recognized as the Player of the Year for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. She led her team to the SIAC championships where they were crowned the sub-champions. Here is what Ramirez told us about her journey.
Fatima Ramirez
Fatima Ramirez, Volleyball Athlete
“I have gotten many different individual volleyball awards, but I think this one means the most to me because I started out this season with zero confidence, because my confidence was really to the floor after coming out that national team tournament when we lost against Guatemala. My confidence was really low and throughout this season I grew as a player and that award is really a symbol of how much I have grown as a player. First we had in conference games, we won everyone in our conference and like I said, two of our main players got injured so I had to be the one to step up. I had no choice but to be confident and carry the team, and after we finished the conference game we had the championship, like the semi-finals and finals game. We did well in the elimination round and we had the semi-finals. But, unfortunately we fell short in the championship. But, we are the sub champions and I am really proud of my team for that. Right now my main focus is to complete my bachelors while continuing to raise my level of volleyball. Maybe in the future I could go pro, but I am not sure yet. But, right now I am just focused on finishing my bachelors, playing for the Belize national team, playing for my college team, you know, just raising my level and continuing to play volleyball.”
And now for some more volleyball action, we take you to the National Secondary Schools Sports Association Volleyball Championships, hosted by the Belmopan Comprehensive High school over the weekend in Belmopan. All the volleyball athletes who participated put on a show for spectators on Friday and Saturday. In the end, the St. John College Male Volleyball team claimed the championship title in the male category, while thirteen-time high school volleyball champions St. Catherine Academy once again dominated in the female category. Nisaan Martinez from .S.C.A was tapped for the female MVP award. In the male category, David Garbutt from S.J.C. took home the MVP award. The Muffles Bob Cats and the Orange Walk Technical Girls were crowned sub-champions, while third place went to Toledo Community College male and female teams.
From Volleyball, we take you to the Belize City Civic Center where the heat was turned up to the maximum in a win or go home matchup between the Central Health Region and the Belize Coast Guard. Both teams went head-to-head to see who would advance to the championship round to face off against the undefeated Tuff-eNuff. Friday night’s game did not disappoint. Glency “Coope” Lopez with a strong drive to the basket making the layup, followed by the block on the other end of the court. Coope with the assist and a big three points from number twenty-four, Wade. Ball down the court and beautiful assist to Lopez in the paint for two points. The Belize Coast Guard came out blazing in the third quarter to take the lead. Excellent no-look pass that leads to an assist and a two points conversion. The game came down to the final seconds and Central Health Region was able to make it through the Belize Coast Guard’s defenses successfully in a sixty-eight to sixty-six finish. They advance to the finals along with Tuff-eNuff. We spoke with Glency Lopez after the match.
Reporter
“Yo come out and yo gawn on goof again tonight. Like weh everybody seh, yo dah the master of Civic and it shows tonight that you are the master of civic because you came out support you that you dah wah baller.”
Glency Lopez
Glency Lopez, Central Health Region
“I seh, that dah just how ih guh, come play ball and have fun, nuh worry bout the fans.”
Reporter
“As yo know, yo done know you yo the face next, and ah nuh wan ask for no prediction, but what yo got fih tell the fans?”
Glency Lopez
“I nuh fear nobody, I play hard, I come grind, I want win to.”
Turning now to cycling, the Dangriga Cycling Association in collaboration with the National Garifuna Council hosted the TV Ramos Cycling Classic on Sunday in Stann Creek District. We have some highlight for you from the elite race, courtesy of Ordonez Bike Shop. Twenty-five minutes into the race, G-Flow rider Shawn Codd created a gap between the other riders. A second group of seven riders, led by Jiovanny Choto, was on the chase. Codd maintained his lead for the first two hours of the race, while a group led by Choto and Wasani Castro kept the chase. But, the story at the end of the race was between experienced rider Jiovanny Choto and young rider Goran Gabriel. Here are those final minutes.
And that is all we have for sports folks. Thank you for joining us. Until next time.
