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The latest 2005 Youth Girls'
Under 18 World Championships news |
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Youth Girls' World Championship News
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Puerto Rico learn lessons
from tough group
 Macau,
China, July 25, 2005 - Only four teams of the 16 at the
Girls'U18 World Championship will be going home after the
first round. One of them is Puerto Rico.
"We are very sad to be leaving," said head coach Julio
Ruvira, after his team's 3-0 defeat to Russia on Monday left
them at the bottom of Pool C with a 0-3 win-loss record.
"The girls have tried hard to keep up with their practice
while also attending school, and we really wanted to go into
the next round.
"But we will stay together and try again for the next time."
Even when Russia brought their game to its inevitable
conclusion at the Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion, the Puerto
Ricans still found the spirit to sing in a circle before
leaving the court for the last time.
They had been in a tough group with Brazil, Belarus and
Russia, and had just one set to show for their efforts, from
a 3-1 defeat by Belarus.
Ruvira added: "We have learned a lot, not just about the
quality of the competition but also about the system and
organisation of an event of this magnitude.
"The three games we have had will serve to evaluate our
national programme, especially our youth programme."
When asked what the main differences were between Puerto
Rico and the other teams in the group, the coach said: "Height,
and the international experience of the players.
"In Puerto Rico we play a lot of Volleyball in different age
categories and we have a lot of tall athletes who do not
practice the sport.
"We have to recruit them to increase the height of our
teams, and to improve the level of our national programme." |
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