Jeremiah Reid's mother regularly reminded him as a child that he was named after one of the iconic prophets of the Bible and that he should build on that legacy.

He didn't let his mom down, steering clear of the gang activities which were then a way of life in the impoverished Railway Lane area of Montego Bay - then considered a city slum - where he grew up in the late 1940s and 1950s.

"My mother grew me up in the church," said a reflective Reid. "I had the fear of God in me from early in life, so instead of getting into gangs, I channelled all my energy into sports."

Inspiration

Reid said he drew inspiration from the success of fellow Railway Lane resident Professor Rex Nettleford, who was then making his mark in academia; Marcus Garvey, whose works he read with great interest; and his involvement with the Montego Bay Boys Club (MBBC), an institution renowned for promoting discipline and sports.

At MBBC, Reid developed into an exceptional sportsman, excelling in swimming, football, cricket, table tennis and volleyball. By his late teens, he was repre-senting St James in football and cricket and attracting national attention. In 1963, he had the distinction of representing Jamaica in cricket against a touring English team.

Reid also made an indelible mark in the parish of Manchester, where he attended both the Chestervale and Cobbla Youth Camps. In addition to representing Manchester in cricket and football, he also got into administration, serving both the parish's cricket and football boards as vice-president.

When he returned to St James, the versatile Reid, who had then acquired coaching credentials in football, cricket, tennis and track and field, took up where he had left off. He became captain of both the parish football and cricket team and, over time, became a vice-president of the parish's football and cricket boards.

Reid, a recipient of the coveted Sam Sharpe Award for his contribution to sports, has done more than enough to earn the respect of his peers. Among his cherished accomplishments were being named the top track and field coach in Jamaica in 1974 and coaching the Jamaica Under-19 cricket team to its first outright win in the West Indies Under-19 competition in 1990.

Not slowing down

Despite being in his 60s, the evergreen Reid, a deacon, is not slowing down. He still represents St James in the All-Island Masters Cricket Competition and is a member of Jamaica's senior track and field team, which participated in the annual Caribbean Championships. As an Institute of Sports officer, he continues to coach cricket, football and tennis lads.

Affectionately called 'Mass Jerry', Reid will be remembered as one who rose from the slum of Railway Lane to become one of Montego Bay's most revered sons.