It was exactly thirty years ago this year that Belize rose to fame in the ranks of softball and now we're back in the high life again as our girls are once again on top of softball.
Our national female softball selection returned from Guatemala City today as the regional champion of champions winning the 3rd Central American softball champions. 7NEWS was at the Roger's Stadium, the home of softball, for the homecoming.
{Team members entering the Roger's Stadium in the back of pickups exuberantly chanting B-E-L-I-Z-E and waving a Belizean flag]
With gold medals slung around their necks and the Belizean flag proudly aloft, Belize's now golden girls of softball returned to their home at the Roger's Stadium to a hero's welcome. And the intensity of this Monday mid-day sun was no match for the energy of our girls who returned from Guatemala as the champion of champions.
Ruth Lamb, Softball Team Captain
"I feel like I am on top of the world right now."
Keith Swift,
"You guys ever thought you would win this big?"
Ruth Lamb,
"Well we worked hard towards it and I feel that the work we put in, we brought back the gold with it."
National Softball Team Member,
"It was a lot of competition. Guatemala and Salvador were the main teams that gave us a bit of trouble but we prevailed in the end and brought back the gold."
"Words cannot express how I feel."
And the gold is due in no small part to the tournament MVP Lydia Cacho. And not only was she MVP, this 22 year old wonder also got a trophy for the best batting average.
Lydia Cacho, MVP
"I didn't know I was going to get that." [Giggles]
"I don't know what to say, words cannot explain. I just feel good."
She says good but her teammates will tell you they all feel great. Great that for the first time in 30 years Belize is again on top of softball. For them that almost makes the victory sweeter.
National Softball Team Member,
"We feel proud to be a part of the team. This whole thing was a team effort. We put a lot work into it and we want to give special praise to our manager Mr. Raymond Lashley and our coach Mr. Fred Flowers."
And speaking of team manager Raymond Lashley - there was opened bottle of champagne for the celebration:
[Team members popping bottle of champagne and spraying it on Team Manager Raymond Lashley.]
Raymond Lashley, National Team Manager
"Well it's a good feeling and with the champagne is even better."
Keith Swift,
"You ever thought these girls could do it?"
Raymond Lashley,
"Well I always knew they had the ability to do it. It was just a matter of the amount of work they put it in."
Make that hard work, which for these girls has paid off with gold medals, regional bragging rights, and local stardom.
Belize competed against Honduras, Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. The only team to have beat Belize in the tournament was Salvador.
In addition to MVP Lydia Cacho, Belize also won 7 of 11 individual awards including winning pitcher Keniesha Sutherland.
The last time Belize won an international tournament of this magnitude was in 1979 at a juvenile tournament.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited for the internet by Keith Swift