The San Pedro Belize Shark Cup Volleyball Tournament concluded on Sunday, May 17th, at the Angel Nuñez Auditorium at San Pedro High School, bringing together youth and senior teams from across Ambergris Caye for a full day of competitive volleyball action. Matches began at 4PM and featured divisions including U13 co-ed, U15 boys and girls, senior co-ed, senior female, and senior male categories. Medal and trophy presentations followed the tournament’s conclusion.
Organizers hosted best-of-three matches in all divisions, resulting in a mix of dominant victories and closely contested games. In the U15 girls’ division, San Pedro High School (SPHS) defeated Zen Warriors in straight sets, 25-15 and 25-20, to secure first place. Zen Warriors finished second, while Ambergris Caye Elementary School (ACES) placed third. In the U15 boys’ final, SPHS once again claimed the championship after defeating San Pedro Roman Catholic Primary School (SPRCS) 25-19 and 25-16. SPRCS finished second, followed by Zen Warriors in third place.
The U13 co-ed championship saw SPRCS defeat The Island Academy (TIA) in two sets, 25-21 and 25-14, to earn the title. TIA placed second, and ACES finished third. Following the youth matches, Miss San Pedro Miley Chi assisted organizers in presenting medals and trophies to the youth teams.
Senior competition continued into the evening with several exciting matchups. In the senior female third-place match, San Pedro Black Panthers defeated Elite in three sets, 25-14, 20-25, and 15-3, to secure third place. The senior female championship saw Titans dominate Wild Sets in straight sets, 25-12 and 25-12, to capture the title. Wild Sets finished second, and Sand Pedro Black Panthers placed third overall.
In the senior co-ed division, WD 20’s defeated All Starz 21-17 and 21-14 to claim first place, while All Starz settled for second. The senior male final featured Barbos defeating Vikings 25-12 and 25-17 to secure the championship title, with Vikings placing second.
Leading up to the finals, preliminary rounds and qualifiers determined which teams advanced to pool play. Tournament organizers also used the event to identify players qualifying for the upcoming U17 Super Nationals competition. SPHS athlete Jaylen Jex and ACES player Tiana Giacoman were recognized for qualifying for the nationals.
Individual awards were also presented to standout players throughout the tournament. Aya Reyes received the U15 female Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, while Andres Chi earned U15 male MVP honors. Fatima was named the senior female MVP, and Guillermo received the senior male MVP award.
One of the tournament coordinators said the event continues to play an important role in developing local talent. “We wanted local players to test themselves and gain exposure. The talent this year was impressive, and the qualifiers for Super Nationals show our program is developing players who can compete regionally,” the coordinator stated.
Organizers hope to expand the Shark Cup Volleyball Tournament next year by adding more age groups and teams and by further improving scheduling and facilities to enhance player development and the overall spectator experience.