Sports in Belize has played a big role in my life growing up. I am happy that my mom pushed me when I was young to participate in all different kinds of sports/activities (Tennis, Golf, Swimming, Cheer, Gymnastics, ect.) So pretty much I was a very active child.

For my first three years living in San Pedro I never really played any sports. That all changed when I started high school. In my freshman year I played 3 out of 5 sports that the school offered Volleyball, Softball and Track & Field. This was the year that I fell in love with sports.

During my sophomore year I decided to play a 4th sport which was basketball. This year was the year I learnt about what being a part of a team really was. My volleyball coach was the main one who taught me what true sportsmanship, dedication and team work is. He pushed us to our limits physically and mentally. As a team we grew stronger and closer, we were inseparable. Our coach was someone we could look up to, and talk to.

Sports in Belize BasketballBut one team that truly will stay with me forever is my softball team. That team consisted of some of the friends that I will keep for a lifetime. To me they were not just my team they were my second family. They hold a big piece of my heart and I don’t plan on that changing anytime soon.

During the summer we stayed together and had an amazing time trying out for the Belize national team. Now that I am in my junior year, which is said to be the hardest year, I have decided to focus more on my studies. So, this year I am only going to play softball. This was a very hard decision for me because I love all my sports, but softball was the one, because in that team I had grown more as an athlete, and a supportive person in my community.

Being in a team isn’t just about playing a sport, it’s about trusting your teammate to have your back and learning to get over your differences and support one another no matter what happens. I will never forget the lessons I have learnt from being a part of these teams. Playing sports in Belize and being a part of a team to me means 25% skill and 75% passion. TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAMWORK.

Story written by: Alice Corrigan of San Pedro Belize