Western sports icon Jerry Reid passes

Governor General awardee Jeremiah ‘Jerry’ Reid, one of western Jamaica’s most revered sporting figures, died on Sunday night at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay after a protracted period of illness.

News of Reid’s passing quickly sparked an outpouring of love on social media, with many praising his impactful life and enviable contribution to sports and nation-building over several decades.

“Jerry made a contribution that was felt across generations,” said former Senator Janice Allen, who grew up in Montego Bay during the era when Reid was at the peak of his sporting prowess and enjoying hero status in the western city. “He was one of those well-known Montegonians whose achievements and service became part of the city.”

Reid’s expansive and well-decorated career spanned cricket, football, track and field, tennis, volleyball and swimming — disciplines in which he served as player, coach, official, mentor and administrator.

As a youngster, Reid was an all-round sportsman. He represented both St James and Manchester — where he spent time at the Cobbla Youth Camp — in cricket and football. In 1963, he was selected to represent Jamaica against a touring England team.

While he was most accomplished as a cricketer and footballer, Reid also represented St James with distinction in athletics and swimming. Remarkably, he was still playing club cricket in St James well into his mid-50s.

As he transitioned away from playing multiple sports, Reid — then a sports officer with the Social Development Commission (SDC) — turned his attention to coaching football, cricket and tennis. During that era, he created history when he coached Jamaica’s Under-19 cricket team to its first West Indies Under-19 title in 1990.

At the same time, Reid, seemingly blessed with boundless energy, also served as a football referee in western Jamaica and spent many years as a vice-president of the St James Football Association, the St James Cricket Association and the Montego Bay Cricket Club, where he was also a life member.

After retiring as an SDC sports officer, Reid found a new challenge in senior citizens’ sports. In his mid-60s, he represented Jamaica in track and field at the Senior Caribbean Athletics Championship.

Over the years, the 81-year-old Reid received multiple awards for his contribution to sports and nation-building. His most cherished honour came in 2013 when he was bestowed with the Governor General’s Award for outstanding contribution to community development and sports.