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Passion for Soccer in Jamaica Runs Deep

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 04/20/16, 12:04PM EDT

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KICK highlights culture that helped produce top USL players


Photo courtesy Rich Crimi / Tulsa Roughnecks FC

When it comes to international players, no individual country has a wider representation in the USL than Jamaica, with 34 players competing across the league. Among the top talent to have graced the league in its history are the USL’s all-time leading scorer Dane Kelly, currently with the Swope Park Rangers, and fellow All-League selection Ashani Fairclough, a standout for Wilmington Hammerheads FC.

Last season, both Kenardo Forbes and Asani Samuels played key roles for the Rochester Rhinos as the club claimed the USL Championship, while Saint Louis FC’s Ryan Thompson helped his side reach the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Now, in players like the New York Red Bulls II’s Junior Flemmings, Rio Grande Valley FC’s Jorginho James, and Portland Timbers 2’s Neco Brett, a new generation of players is making its way in the USL this season.

Eighteen years removed from the country’s first qualification from the FIFA World Cup, the Reggae Boyz have had ups and downs since then, but the passion for the sport has remained through the national team and the Red Stripe Premier League, where players like Kelly, Flemmings and James cut their teeth before making the move state-side. Late last week, KICK took a look at the culture that surrounds the sport in Jamaica, which has helped forge some of the standout talent that can be found in the USL today.