A group of Jamaican expatriates living in the USA is creating a stir with a football extravaganza and awards function that seeks to showcase the skills of players and honour those who have made their mark on and off the field.

At a day and night event on Sunday, Steve Bucknor, Winston Chung-Fah, Tony James, Frank ‘Bim’ Williams, Patrick ‘Jackie’ Walters, Geneva Sinclair, Anthony ‘Baddas’ Corbett, Alvin James, Tyrone Marshall, Dr Jose C Meeroff, Soccer Max/Soccer Locker and Limers United Soccer Club will be this year’s honorees of the 2011 Celebrity Soccer Match and Awards Ceremony planned for Central Broward Regional Park, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This year’s staging, which marks the second, will also have a charity side to the Clarendon Production and Pulz Entertainment promoted event where patrons will be asked to donate football gear to be onpassed to schools in Jamaica.

CEO of Pulz Entertainment Atlanta-based Sean Young, said the aim of the event is to “recognise these accomplished people for their dedication to soccer in their respective communities and improve awareness both locally and internationally in the sport”.

Among those recognised at last year’s inaugural happening were successful schoolboy coach Leebert Halliman and veteran sportscaster Ed Barnes.

Young said surprisingly, it was not difficult to get the first and Sunday’s shows off the ground.

“Not difficult at all. Soccer brings many different ethnic backgrounds together regardless of the occasion,” he said.

Young — also operations manager for sports management and consultancy firm Kics International, which often aids in organising Reggae Boyz friendly matches in south Florida — said the four-man selection team of himself, Clarendon Production’s Desmond ‘Gaddafi’ Smith, Patrick Dobbs and Courtney Francis based their selection on the “achievements and impact” the honorees have had on their soccer community, both on the local and international levels.

Young said he and his team aim to nurture the event into a big calendar event, which he one day hopes will have big corporate support.

“It is the aim of our organisation to build a solid foundation and create an impressive profile of the event before we try to solicit corporate sponsorship… this will enable us to attract even more sponsors from both the Caribbean and USA,” he noted.

With part of its critical focus on raising cash and kinds for charities back in Jamaica, last year’s edition was able to collect “over 60 pairs of soccer boots which were distributed to Primary and High schools from Westmoreland and Clarendon”.

“We ask our patrons to donate any form of soccer equipment. Once collected, they will be donated to various schools and community-based clubs in Jamaica chosen by our organisation,” Young outlined.

The expenses related to airlifting and accommodating the honorees are being covered by Clarendon Production and Pulz Entertainment alongside Startime Soccer and Sports, Regs Appliances, LP International, KICS International, Broward County Parks and Recreation and Holiday Inn Hotel.

Following a barbecue starting at 2:00 pm, there will be football matches featuring Djs vs Promoters and Clarendon All-Stars vs Clarema United. The awards side to the day’s activities will follow.

Special guests are Canada international Dwayne De Rosario, and Team USA’s Demarcus Beasley, Reggae Boy Shavar Thomas and Reggae Boyz coach Theodore Whitmore.