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September 7, 2025 13 mins
The Belize National Soccer Team made a trip to the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta training ground last week to have an added element to their relationship witgh their nation and Atlanta United.

Devin Daly, Minister of Youth and Sports, joins SDH AM to give a look at the country's love of the sport and what the friendly with ATLUTD2 will do to help the growth... 
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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I think I've got it. I think, Brooke, I've got
it figured out. Okay.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
So they're setting up Devin's camera, all right, So this
is the beauty of live. This is the beauty of live,
live stuff. So I was gonna bring in I thought that,
Like I said, this is everybody's sorting all this stuff out.
So I'm looking at the green room.

Speaker 3 (00:17):
There we go.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Okay, so let me see if it's safe to bring
in Minister Daily and we'll see what's going on. He
is being properly hydrated. Minister Daily, How are you, sir?
Oh wait, I can't hear you. We've got to work
on the audio there.

Speaker 3 (00:33):
It is, good morning. I'm doing well. Thanks for the invite.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Absolutely glad to catch up with you here as we
wrap up a week and I can't think of a
better week to do it. This seems like it's been
kind of a whirlwind for you.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
What's it like to have the national team up here
to take on at Land United too tomorrow.

Speaker 4 (00:53):
Well, it's an incredible opportunity we have in a buck
drop the guys getting your work called in that that
three R flight coming up here. It's just a wonderful
time to see the energy that they have and have
some of the days for up people come out here
so that we can see a good.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Much now for those that may not know, I just
I wanted to give a bit of an education for
the history of the program, recent things, and if I
miss anything, please fill in the gaps. Charlie Slusher is
the head coach hires a little over a year ago.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
They've won, You've won five out of your ten five,
four and one.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
You're playing obviously in Conker Calf and you're trying to
compete to get into the World Cup. Undefeated in twenty
four with coach Slusher four wins in the Nations League.
And when you look at say the last year under
coach Slusher, what has it been like to see the
advancement of the program to this point.

Speaker 4 (01:54):
Well, I think the group of the group of players
have grown over the years, and I think one of
the one of the main parts that I would say
is the maturity of the group. Their style of play.
It's not necessarily just a fast up and down. They're
definitely trying to move, move, move the ball in a

(02:16):
more mature way, and so I think that's what has
been the main attribute to the success of the team.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
And I know that your position as Minister of Youth
and Sports, I mean you were you were a hooper
in your day. Can you still knock down the fifteen footer?

Speaker 3 (02:33):
Probably take that out to twenty five?

Speaker 1 (02:35):
Oh heart, hitting the threes? Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, okay, yeah, well, well.

Speaker 4 (02:43):
We'll definitely see if we could get some open gym
on the on the hoop side.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
Out there while we're out here.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
No doubt your work you work alongside you know, since
your Minister of Youth in Sports, you work alongside the
Minister of Sports to advance youth engagement and athletic programs
across the country. What in a perfect world are you
looking to accomplish by the time this tour is done,
starting with this match tomorrow against Atlanta United two, what

(03:10):
would you like to for people to see here and
back home with this for this trip that you guys
are on.

Speaker 4 (03:17):
Well, for the people out here, we definitely want to
see the professionalism that our players are are are exemplifying
and and for the and for the people back home,
we want to inspire the youth. We want to let
them know that there are opportunities for you to get
to exposure to leave Belize on I'm actually to pursue

(03:39):
a career in sport.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
What has it been like for you to see the
growth of sport there in Beliefs. We can talk about
it from a soccer perspective, We can talk about it
from soccer and other sports, but how many how many
folks are involved and engaged in sports right now, and
obviously you'd like to have that increase, and I would

(04:02):
think that moments like this and this trip could help
in that regard. What is participation like right now when
it comes to to youth and sports in the country.

Speaker 4 (04:10):
I think sports naturally has that organic reach to youths,
especially as a pastime for them to engage and you know,
kind of kind of meddle in in in outside school activity. However,
I think one of the main one of the main
things that we're we're aiming for is to increase the

(04:30):
overall organization of sports in Belieze for youths and and
that and that ongoing collaboration with the federations, that is
something that hasn't necessarily been optimal. However, you know, with
the organization, myself, Minismala and the team behind the Spring,
we're hoping that you know that is a direction we

(04:52):
go because, like I always tell people, funding constraints is
and everything, you need to have organization before the funding
get in order.

Speaker 2 (05:02):
What kind of help do you need to help grow that,
whether domestically or or worldwide. What kind of help do
you need to continue to grow?

Speaker 4 (05:11):
Well, the main thing is we need to increase our
our our capacity for coaching. We need to increase our
capacity when it comes to partnerships outside and abroad. So
we're calling on whichever partners are willing come and and
train our people so that they can actually deliver the
necessary skill sets that our locals need.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
How how how difficult a process is that when it
comes to recruiting so folks can come down and aid
and assist the next generations of athletes. How difficult a
process is it? And what has interest been like so far?

Speaker 4 (05:48):
Well, the interest is high, especially with new persons being
at the head of the helm.

Speaker 3 (05:56):
However, I think the main thing is our people.

Speaker 4 (06:00):
They're always open to learn, they're willing, and I just
think overall genuine interest coming in to say, hey, this
is not a one off training, this is not a
one off opportunity on on on on our end, We're
definitely willing to talk a idiot that whatever.

Speaker 3 (06:18):
That may may may may involve.

Speaker 2 (06:21):
How far back did is the was the planning process
for this particular trip with the national team to have
this moment with Atlanta United too? How far back are
we talking here?

Speaker 4 (06:33):
Well, I know the partnership was for two years, and
this is the first this is the first time the
team is actually coming up so on the year two.
But I think this has been in the process for
probably about ten ten eleven months.

Speaker 3 (06:46):
Wow. Uh.

Speaker 2 (06:47):
For those for those that may not know, the roster
keeper Woodrow West, He's going to be the cap. Where's
been Where's been wearing? The captain's armband? Leads active roster
forty six caps, fifth on the all time appearance list,
Carlos Bernardez already Polanco fifteen combined goals, second and third
on the team's all time list, respectively. I want to
say that there have been times in the past DeShawn

(07:08):
Nemhart I think was a part of the the national
team that folks might remember second division here in the US.

Speaker 3 (07:16):
Yup, he's out here too.

Speaker 2 (07:17):
Okay, So second and third division DeShawn Nemhart is a
part of it. So there are some names that are
familiar for the casual fan dropping in, and so I
think that it's going to be it's going to be
an interesting experience for folks to just drift in and watch.
What is the from what you've been able to gather
from the team itself, what is their expectation coming out here?

(07:39):
Obviously you're the children in South Carolina training ground. It's
a great facility. You're you're going to be getting the
best when it comes to the pool and the gym
and the bikes and all.

Speaker 1 (07:46):
That kind of stuff. What is the expectation of coach
Slusher and the team with this friendly.

Speaker 4 (07:51):
We had that conversation last night at dinner and uh huh.
I'll just say that they're expecting a very good showing,
not something lopsided.

Speaker 3 (08:02):
So I want, I won't put.

Speaker 4 (08:03):
The pressure on the guys by necessarily giving on numbers,
but we're definitely we definitely have high.

Speaker 2 (08:10):
Hopes well, and I mean that's the fun part in
doing all of this. Where uh when did you guys?
When did you fly up?

Speaker 3 (08:18):
We got here yesterday about six six pm.

Speaker 1 (08:21):
Okay, so you got you got you got a little acclimated.
How long a flight.

Speaker 3 (08:25):
Wasn't it was three hours?

Speaker 1 (08:27):
Wow, Okay, that's not bad.

Speaker 4 (08:29):
A lot of bumps, right, A lot of bumps along
the way, so you know, hopefully that doesn't affect the
guy's legs too much.

Speaker 2 (08:35):
Yeah, are they are they looking forward to? How long
are you staying? I guess it's the next question.

Speaker 4 (08:41):
We're staying until Monday. So you got about Monday Monday morning?

Speaker 2 (08:45):
Okay, Uh, so then the match happens. If match is done,
then what is Sunday going to be like? Is it
just chilling going to the mall? What do the guys
want to do?

Speaker 3 (08:56):
They want to explore a bit, But I think we
I think we're.

Speaker 4 (08:59):
Definitely gonna have a a post game recop, you know,
to kind of discuss, you know, some of the some
of the best some of the best practices against the
team that they phoned enough that, of course they want
to explore a bit.

Speaker 2 (09:11):
And uh, is there anything that that you have been
recommended to go and explore? The guys said, Okay, well
you've got to go here, do this, do this, and
do this.

Speaker 4 (09:20):
No, not as yet, not as yet, nothing like that.
Maybe maybe maybe you could share, Well, I mean, are
you looking for food? You looking for? What are you
looking for? Because we can we can go down this
road a little bit. What are you looking for?

Speaker 3 (09:32):
Let's let's let's let's let's go down and road for food.

Speaker 1 (09:35):
Okay.

Speaker 3 (09:36):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (09:36):
Traditionally you've got good and you've got good American barbecue.

Speaker 1 (09:40):
There's always places to go for that.

Speaker 2 (09:42):
Uh and so uh, they're I'm trying to think, so
you know, you've got to sample good Southern cooking, good
home cooking here in the Southeast. I would say barbecue
probably would be a good idea.

Speaker 1 (09:54):
Uh, are you.

Speaker 2 (09:55):
Staying close to the training ground or you are where?

Speaker 3 (09:58):
Are you still about? Where? About ten minutes away from
the training grown? Okay?

Speaker 4 (10:03):
Yeah, and I think that was about minutes or twenty
five from the airport.

Speaker 3 (10:08):
So okay, one circle.

Speaker 1 (10:10):
Okay, so it's not too bad.

Speaker 2 (10:11):
So you take the you take the Perimeter freeway and
you just kind of go like that and you go
to the airport.

Speaker 3 (10:15):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (10:16):
So all right, so we got to figure out we
got to figure out like barbecue.

Speaker 1 (10:21):
Restaurants or good Southern cooking.

Speaker 2 (10:23):
Okay, so probably what you need to do tomorrow morning,
well for breakfast is probably go to a place called
Martin's because that's up there Martin's.

Speaker 1 (10:31):
That's that's good breakfast. That's good.

Speaker 2 (10:32):
That's good up there in Cobb County. So you might
need to send somebody to go make a breakfast, run
to Martin's and get food and bring it back to everybody.
So that's good Southern cooking. That's good breakfast. It's good portions,
and it's good stuff. So Martin's for breakfast, and then
we've got to figure out something barbecuee or Southern cooking
for after the match and then tomorrow on Sunday, so

(10:56):
that'll be So that's on the list.

Speaker 1 (10:57):
So we'll start you off with Martin's for breakfast and
then we'll work our way forward about that.

Speaker 3 (11:02):
That sounds good.

Speaker 2 (11:03):
Okay, what else do folks need to know about what's
going on in beliefs that you want to talk about,
whether it's about youth and sports, the soccer team, the
national team, what's what else the folks need to know
that I haven't that I haven't hit this morning.

Speaker 3 (11:19):
Let me see. Oh, I'll probably end with this.

Speaker 4 (11:26):
There's nothing and and and I'll quote Minister Malor with this,
there's nothing in a nation that govanizes their people like
like how sports does, and the utes are not necessarily
our future.

Speaker 3 (11:42):
The utes are no.

Speaker 4 (11:44):
And so whever what whatever investments, whatever resources are needed
on whatever organization is needed to bring sport to a
level where it's where it's sustainable, where it's efficient, and
where it's it's it's inclusive, We're willing to do it
and we definitely have great plans ahead, not just facility

(12:06):
development but also the human resource part.

Speaker 2 (12:10):
And as things continue to grow. Please accept this as
an open invitation to come on the morning show and
we can continue to talk about how things are growing
with the national team and things like that as you
continue to make your strides in conker CAF going forward.
Minister Devin Daily, Minister of Youth and Sports from Belize,

(12:30):
here is a part of the traveling party that's going
to be taking on Landy United two tomorrow morning, Belize
National Side. It's gonna be fun. Atlutd dot com, slash Live.
It's a great education you've parachuted into to play this
match and you're gonna be hanging out for a Sunday
before you head back on Monday. Please be safe, Please
enjoy your time, enjoy what's going on tomorrow morning. We
will catch up with you soon. Thanks for dropping by

(12:52):
the morning show on short the shortest of short notices,
and we catch it up with you soon.

Speaker 1 (12:57):
Good luck tomorrow. We'll catch up with you soon, my friend.

Speaker 3 (13:00):
Thanks Jean,
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