High expectations for the NORCECA Women’s U20

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, August 20, 2012. - The NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship is set to begin on Tuesday at “Polideportivo España” in Managua with nine teams to book three tickets to the 2013 FIVB World Championship.

High expectations looking forward to a sturdy battle were the words of head coaches as they are ready for the tournament.

Rosely Lewis (Antigua & Barbuda) “It is very exciting for the team to be in our first continental championship. We have a young team and our goal is to learn as much as possible in a whole different experience.”

Andrés Carvajal (Costa Rica) “A great number of our players come from the U18 NORCECA Championship in Mexico so they are young because we have the idea of developing new talents for our future national teams. Our objective is to finish first in our pool and to give a good performance.

Wilfredo Robinson (Cuba) “Cuba presents a team physical well developed with strong hitters. Our only expectation, which we must fulfill, is the qualification.”

Wagner Pacheco, (Dominican Republic) “My team is young and most of it took the silver at the Women’s U18 Continental Championship, we are confident in our preparation with the goal set on a berth for the FIVB World Championship.”

Julio Dominguez (Guatemala) “The expectations are clear and they’re of motivation for our players; just to be competing in a tournament of this category against strong teams and superior to ours. My team began together as youths and our first result was qualifying here as a champion of the zone showing our evolution.”

Estanislao Vacino (México) “We hope to perform as well as we’ve been training and qualify for the World Championship. The match against Guatemala is accessible and as for Dominican Republic we have a complicated advisory, we´ll do our best.”

Claudia Noguera (Nicaragua) “We have the responsibility to perform well not only because we’re hosts but because it’s the first time that Nicaragua competes in a continental championship of the category. Our objective is to prepare the team for next year’s Central American Championship and move up in NORCECA’s ranking.

Ali Macsood (Trinidad & Tobago) “Four of our staring players are playing internationally so that is the reason we brought a very young team and we will be looking to gain experience.”

Rodney Wilde (United States) “Most of our players are already in college and sadly couldn´t be here, so the team is very young. We hope to have a great tournament because we’ll face strong teams like Dominican Republic, Cuba and Mexico that want a spot in the World Championship.”