Soccer wasn’t my first love. 

The first time I spoke to my mother about playing sports was when I brought up my interest in playing hockey. I bought a hockey net, goalkeeper pads, rollerblades, hockey sticks and everything one would need to play competitive street hockey with my friends. But ice hockey was not so accessible. My mother told me it was too expensive for our family to sign me up. I needed to pick another sport, despite my passion for the puck. 

The next thing on my list was soccer.

When I was 14 years old, I had to wake up every weekend around 5:30 a.m. so that my mother could drive me to the Soccer Centre in Vaughan to train with Team Ontario. My father was no longer around during this time, so my mother had to work overtime.

One morning, I told my mother I wanted to quit because my friends weren’t waking up as early as me. I was missing out on a social life due to soccer. My mother reminded me that I could one day receive a full-time scholarship in America. I could play for Team Canada. All I had to do was push past the anxiety I was having about feeling left out. 

I remember the gut feeling years later while my mother and I drove through the Ohio State University campus for the first time. Deep down I knew Columbus would be my home. 

I told my mom, “This is it.” 

I left as the all-time leading goal scorer of the program.

My mom was right, again, as I went on to play for Team Canada. Traveling to places like Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, France, England, China and Cyprus allowed me to embrace myself in different cultures and opened me up to new experiences and challenges. The Canadian National Team program was a professional environment and the staff and players made my experience an enjoyable one. I grew mentally, physically, tactically and technically in that environment and I am grateful for that.

But what is important to note, my parents were both born in Jamaica. We are a family that is proud of our heritage.

Back in 2014, I was contacted by Hubert Busby who is now the head coach of the Jamaican National Team. He expressed his interest in me playing for Jamaica. During that time, I had just signed my first professional contract abroad and was still in the Canadian National Team pool of players. I wasn’t ready to convert to Team Jamaica and wanted to continue to compete for a more secure spot on the Senior Women’s Canadian National Team.

A few years went by and I wasn’t getting consistent call-ups with the Canadian program. I had to decide whether or not I wanted to keep being a player within the pool or a player that would be considered of more value somewhere else.

When the Jamaican National Team qualified for the World Cup for the first time in history, Coach Busby reached out to me once again and asked if I would reconsider. Making history with the Jamaican Women’s National Team was more important than any individual accolade. I felt like it was time.

When I first stepped on the field, I was so excited and proud to be on the World Cup stage. Just one year before, I had suffered injuries and had undergone a minor surgery. I remember writing and recording a song called, For The Love of The Game, that helped motivate me through my recovery. The Canadian women’s national team program along with the Jamaican National Team provided resources for me to get healthy and for that I am truly grateful. It allowed me to represent a country in which both my parents were born while at the highest level of women’s soccer. It has been the greatest honour of my life.

The view was worth the climb. 

I am so proud to be a Reggae Girl!