GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, August 3, 2026. – Eight national teams are ready to compete in the 2nd Boys’ U17 Pan American Cup, which will be held at the Multi-Sports Dome in Zone 13 in Guatemala City.
The tournament will begin on Tuesday, August 4, and conclude on Sunday, August 9, with the final placement matches.
All eight head coaches emphasized the importance of the tournament for the development of their players, who will have the opportunity to gain valuable international experience at this age-group level.
Jordan Taylor, Canada’s head coach: “This is the first competition for our entire team, except for our captain, who competed at the U19 World Championship in May. It’s a tremendous opportunity for learning and development, not only for Canada’s players, but for the entire region as well. It’s a great event, and we’re very happy to be part of it.”
Felipe Jenkins, Costa Rica’s head coach: “We arrive with high expectations. The boys have been training with their clubs, and Costa Rica’s national league is already underway, so they come in with match experience. That allows us to build on the qualities they develop with their respective teams. Every coach aspires to win a gold medal, so we’re here to fight for the best result possible.”
Luis Fernando Castañeda, Guatemala’s head coach: “We know these competitions are played at a very high level. For us, participating is very important because it allows us to measure ourselves against strong opponents. This is a very young team making its first international appearance. We hope to compete well and help these players gain experience for future events in this age group.”
Osiel Vázquez, Honduras’ head coach: “This is a very important tournament for our young players because they will face high-level teams from NORCECA and AFECAVOL. We have high expectations and hope the team reflects on the court all the work we have done during our preparation. We are representing Honduras with the best athletes in this age group.”
Denis Rivera, Mexico’s head coach: “We expect a very competitive tournament, especially in Pool B, where we will compete. We are highly motivated to begin the competition and convinced it will be excellent preparation for this age group’s World Championship.”
Hernán Torres, Puerto Rico’s head coach: “We’ve had five months of preparation with a comprehensive plan that included technical training and practice matches against older teams, all aimed at raising our level of play. Our goal is to defend the title. We are in a very strong pool, and from our very first match we’ll have to compete at our highest level to achieve our objective.”
Michael Wall, United States’ head coach: “Any time you have the opportunity to gain experience, it’s extremely valuable. Last fall was the first international volleyball tournament for many of our players, so going through that experience, competing against other teams, and learning how an international event works was invaluable. Now we’re back for a second tournament, and most of them were part of that first experience, so they come in with a little more confidence and experience. We also had a solid week of training in California, and we’re excited to get started.”
Marín Pérez, Venezuela’s head coach: “We have high expectations for this Pan American Cup. This competition will be an important step in our preparation for the World Championship. We know it will be a very demanding tournament, and we are ready to take on the challenge.”
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