MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The daughter of reggae legend Bob Marley is one thing of a “fairy godmother” for the Jamaica crew enjoying in its second Women’s World Cup.
Cedella Marley has been a tireless advocate and fundraiser for the Reggae Girlz and helped rescue the crew after it was disbanded in 2008.
Her work has paid off and Jamaica is within the spherical of 16. The Reggae Girlz play Colombia on Tuesday night time in Melbourne, Australia.
“Her support has been really important to us and she’s just the heart of this team,” mentioned Jamaica participant Deneisha Blackwood. “She’s just like our fairy godmother. We just appreciate her for everything she has done so far.”
The Reggae Girlz had been disbanded after failing to qualify for the 2007 World Cup and the 2008 Olympics. In 2014, Bob and Rita Marley’s eldest daughter was alarmed to study the Jamaican soccer federation had stopped funding the crew.
Marley hoped to assist the Reggae Girlz attain the 2015 World Cup, however the crew didn’t qualify. The Marley identify – Bob Marley was a giant soccer fan and participant – spurred curiosity within the Reggae Girlz regardless of the World Cup miss – and the crew made the match discipline in 2019.
“The backbone of this team, all along, has been Cedella,” Jamaica coach Lorne Donaldson mentioned. “Without her, and I can honestly this, because when the program was under, there was no football for the women. She was the one who pushed the start button and said, `We need to go.’”
While the Bob Marley Foundation is among the many crew’s sponsors, funding continues to be a priority for the Reggae Girlz. Ahead of the World Cup, a GoFundMe crowdraising marketing campaign was arrange by a participant’s mom. Another was arrange by the Reggae Girlz basis. Both websites aimed to assist Jamaica’s ladies with the prices related to the World Cup, together with a coaching camp, journey, meals, and employees help.
Those appeals got here after gamers, together with Cheyna Matthews and Khadija “Bunny” Shaw, posted a press release on social media about pay points and different issues. The assertion cited a scarcity of correct preparation that they hoped could be addressed by the Jamaican Football Federation.
“We acknowledge that things have not been done perfectly, and we are working assiduously to resolve them,” the JFF responded in a press release.
It is hoped that with the crew’s success at this World Cup, the Reggae Girlz will lastly get help.
“I think Cedella has been the most important part of our journey,” Blackwood mentioned. “I think the best thing about her is she actually sees us not just as football players but as human beings. And I think that is just something that we’ve always wanted.”
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