Tony Becca

There is something wonderful about surprises. And it does not matter whether it is a surprise party for someone who has excelled in an examination, for someone who is celebrating a special birthday, or whether it is the kind of surprise which comes from an unexpected performance, and particularly so in sports.

Whatever the surprise, a surprise is a surprise. Most times it is a time to be happy and to sing the praises of someone and this time around the praises are for the performance of the national Under-20 football team - the Young Reggae Boyz - at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro last week.

Unexpected action

According to coach Wendell Downswell, speaking on the eve of the departure of the team for the Games, he certainly did not expect what happened in Rio.

As far as Downswell was concerned the team was a good one, the time was too short for it to be prepared properly and all he could realistically expect of them was a good show and that they would make use of the opportunity to develop their skills and their appreciation for the game.

In a glorious performance, however, Jamaica defeated Colombia 1-0, Argentina 2-0, Haiti 4-0, and after drawing 0-0 with Mexico before defeating them 5-4 on penalties in the semi-finals, after leading 1-0, they lost to Ecuador 2-1 in the final and had to settle for the silver medal.

While the gold medal would have been a fairy-tale finish to the tournament and would have left Jamaicans celebrating for a long, long time, a silver medal, Jamaica's first medal in the tournament, and especially so in a tournament that included the likes of Brazil and Argentina, was a great achievement.

It mattered not that both teams may have been below full strength, and especially so Argentina who won the Under-20 World Cup and are preparing for the Under-17 World Cup.

At full strength or not, teams like Argentina and Brazil are not expected to lose to a team like Jamaica in any match, in any tournament and despite the fact that the senior team has been experiencing some bad times recently and the women's team was totally outclassed in the same tournament, the fact that a group of Under-20 Jamaicans rose to the occasion against all expectations and performed the way they did augurs well for Jamaica's football.

When I was a boy I never even considered the possibility of Jamaica going on to the same football field with teams like Brazil and Argentina. In those days, Jamaica, as far as the world was concerned, were strong in cricket and they were strong in track events like the men's 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres and, of course, the relays.

Although the Pan American Games is not the World Cup, the performance of the footballers underlines how much Jamaica have progressed in the past 57 years or so and have hinted of how far it can go in sports.

From great performances in cricket and in the sprints and the middle-distance races, Jamaica are the envy of the world as their young men and women spread their wings in almost every sport, in more and more distances around the world.

No longer is it only cricket and no longer is it only the sprints and the relays on the track. For some time now it has included an event like the hurdles, for a while now it has included events like the high jump and the long jump, boxing and cycling, and today it includes football, bobsled, some longer events like the steeplechase and swimming and the pentathlon and the decathlon, etc.

In other words, Jamaica have become so strong in almost every sport that everywhere there is a competition there seems to be a Jamaican, a successful Jamaican at that, involved.

Thank you, Jamaica, for not only winning the silver medal in Rio, for not only, but probably for a disputed penalty, going close to winning the goal medal, but also for the way you played the game.

Controversial games

Although you gave up only two goals, after you had scored as many as eight, even though you missed a few goals, including a penalty, an against Mexico and Ecuador you were second best in ball possession, you played open and exciting football, you were confident passing and running off the ball and you dribbled like little masters.

After the success in 1998, you have added something to the marketing of Jamaica's football and, most important, you did it under the watchful eyes of Downswell and his team.

If my memory serves me right, you did in the style of Downswell himself while playing for Reno against Santos in the final of the National League at Sabina Park in the 1970s.

The next time around may not be successful, but if you train and practise, if you are disciplined and if you maintain that discipline, there is no reason why you cannot be successful and in doing so, say to all and sundry that good things, talented players and good coaches are not only born in Jamaica but also live right here in Jamaica.

Downswell