‘We’re here to win’: Puerto Rico hosting NORCECA Men’s Final Six

“Playing in Puerto Rico adds a bit more pressure because we’re competing in front of our fans in the stands,” Puerto Rico head coach Jamille Torres Rosario said.

By THE STAR STAFF

Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium in Ponce is the host venue of the fifth edition of the North, Central America, and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) Men’s Final Six, which opened play on Monday and runs through Saturday. Coaches from Canada, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Suriname and the United States shared their expectations ahead of the tournament’s opening.

Puerto Rico’s head coach, Jamille Torres Rosario, emphasized the team’s commitment and the significance of competing on home soil.

“We’re coming in with a roster very similar to the one we used at the Pan American Cup. We have two players out due to injury, and part of our summer process was to test young athletes,” he said. “Expectations are very high, and we’re here to win. Playing in Puerto Rico adds a bit more pressure because we’re competing in front of our fans in the stands.”

“We don’t get many chances to play at home, so when we do, we want to deliver our best performance without losing sight of our main goal: to keep growing and improving for the future,” Torres Rosario added.

The NORCECA Men’s Final Six awards world ranking points to teams not participating in the Volleyball Nations League, and contributes to the qualification process for the Central American and Caribbean Games by granting continental ranking points to all participating teams.

Puerto Rico was to open play on Monday night against the Dominican Republic, following the official opening ceremony. The other scheduled matches were Suriname vs. Canada and the United States vs. Mexico.

Free entry for affiliates

As part of the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation’s commitment to its community, all affiliated minors will enjoy free general admission when accompanied by an adult (adult pays general admission). In addition, referees, judges, coaches and institutional affiliates will also have free access to general admission.