XALAPA, Mexico, September 2, 2024. – The coaches of the eight teams that will compete in the Women’s Under-23 Pan American Cup, a qualifier to the 2025 Junior Pan American Games for two NORCECA teams, to be held at the Xalapa International Velodrome from September 3 to 8, shared their first impressions ahead of the competition.
Eduardo Guillaume, Head Coach of Chile: “We have a very young team. This team is also preparing for the South American Under-21 Championship, and most of the players are in that age group, with some also Under-19. The South American Championship offers an additional spot for the Under-21 World Championship to the South American Volleyball Confederation, as the tournament has expanded from 16 to 24 teams. Our goal here is for the team to prepare for that competition”.
Ronald Pérez López, Assistant Coach of Costa Rica: “We are starting a new process with a new coach, and this means that new players are being given an opportunity. They have been working hard in our national championship. Our expectation is to build a team and prepare for Central American championships, using the tournament to showcase our players”.
Wagner Pacheco, Head Coach of Dominican Republic: “We have set three goals: first, to reach the semifinals; second, to make it to the final; and third, to win the gold medal. The goal is always to win. The team is a mix of youth, junior, and pre-junior players; it’s a very young team because we’re thinking about the future. I see several very strong teams”.
Luis León, Head Coach of Mexico: “We are very excited to play in Mexico again. We aim to gain experience and prepare for the Junior Pan American Games next year. The goal is to reach the tournament final once again. The team consists of Under-23 and Under-21 players”.
Marcelo Diniz Bencardino, Head Coach of Peru: “We are very happy to be here to compete. The group is Under-21, they are young and very eager to participate and do their best. The expectation is positive; we will give our best effort and would be very happy to advance in the competition”.
Claudius Straal, Head Coach of Suriname: “I like that the girls from Suriname are given the chance to participate in this Under-23 tournament so we can see the gap with other countries. Hopefully we’ll do better than the senior girls”.
Cuba and Nicaragua had not yet arrived in Xalapa.
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