During spring break (March 1st-10th), the Motlow State women’s soccer team journeyed to Belize with a mission to give back to the local community, explore the country, and challenge the Belize National Team in two matches.
The players enrolled in a class which partnered with Tennessee Consortium for International Studies (TNCIS). The student athletes had to meet GPA requirements to be accepted into the class. They learned about the history of women’s soccer not only in the United States but in other countries and were tasked with gathering donations as part of the service-learning component of the class.
Their travels included stops at the Belize Zoo where they saw jaguars and Tapirs, Lamanai archeological reserve where the team got to witness howler and spider monkeys in the wild, one of their last excursions was snorkeling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve at the barrier reef, shark and stingray alley.
The team promoted the trip to collect school supplies and soccer equipment for donations to nearby elementary schools, receiving contributions from Carson Newman Women’s Soccer, North Middle School Girls Soccer, and other generous supporters.
Visiting a total of four primary schools and two high schools, the team distributed donations evenly among the schools and spent quality time engaging with the children, including playing small soccer games together.
“We are always made to feel extremely welcome in Belize and it's always incredible to see how the players embrace the school trips,” said head coach Andy Lyon. “We take pride in being able to help out in any way we can, and we thank the schools we visited for making us feel so special.”
In addition to their charitable efforts, the team had the opportunity to advocate for women's soccer and competed against the Belize National Team in intense matches. Despite a narrow 1-0 loss in the second game, the coaching staff praised the team’s impressive performance.
Coach Lyon expressed his thoughts on the team's performance. “It's always a huge challenge to come to Belize and compete against their national team. I have to say that the second game was one of our best with this squad. I think they surprised a lot of people and came very close to beating a national team, which is something we are extremely proud to say.”
The Motlow State Women’s Soccer Belize Trip creates lasting memories for coaches, athletes, and the Belize community alike. Thanks to the program's dedicated efforts, a strong bond continues to thrive between Belize and the women’s soccer program.
Tyler Feaster
Sports Information
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