NORCECA Girls’ Youth teams to compete in Guatemala next week

Mimi Eugene is expected to be a key player as an outside hitter for defending champions USA

 2010 – The NORCECA Continental Girls’ Youth Championship for athletes under 18 years-old is scheduled from April 27-May 2 in Guatemala with teams from 10 countries vying for one ticket to the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games and also three spots in next year’s FIVB World Championship in Turkey.

The United States has typically dominated the competition which began in 1998, winning five of six editions including the last four in a row. They also finished as runner's-up to Puerto Rico in 2000.

Teams from Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago and United States will compete in three preliminary round pools (two pools of three teams and one pool of four). The two pool winners with best points-ratio will advance directly to the semifinal phase while the third first place team will play in the quarterfinals against the second place sides.

Pool A consists of Mexico, Costa Rica, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica while Pool B is composed by Guatemala, Puerto Rico and El Salvador. The tough Pool C groups USA, Dominican Republic and Canada. NORCECA Sports Events Department will publish the preliminary round calendar early this week.

Mexico is currently ranked as No.1 in the region based on points earned during the 2008 NORCECA Continental Tournament and the 2009 FIVB World Championships, followed by USA, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago. Hosts Guatemala and El Salvador are ranked eighth and ninth respectively.

Historic results year-by-year

Year Gold Silver Bronze
1998 USA PUR CAN
2000 PUR USA DOM
2002 USA DOM PUR
2004 USA PUR MEX
2006 USA DOM PUR
2008 USA MEX DOM