Reggae Girl Khadija “Bunny” Shaw, along with Dennis Howard Bell and Cedella Marley were among three members of the football fraternity who were yesterday listed as individuals who will be recognised at the annual National Honours and Awards on National Heroes’ Day this October 19.

They will be joined by former international sprint star Merlene Ottey, fellow Olympian Deon Hemmings, as well as former champion jockey Emilio Rodriquez.

Shaw, who was a member of the Reggae Girlz’ team at last year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup Finals in France, received the Order of Distinction (Officer Class, OD) for outstanding achievement in sports, in particular, football, while Bell, the general manager of all national teams at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), and also a former national player, was recognised for outstanding service in the field of football.

Marley, the ambassador for the women’s senior team, who received the Order of Distinction (Commander Class, CD), was recognised for philanthropy through exceptional contribution to sport development and the national women’s football programme.

Ottey had her Order of Distinction (CD) upgraded to the Order of Jamaica (OJ) for distinguished contribution in sports athletics (track and field) both locally and internationally, while Hemmings moved from OD to CD for exceptional representation of Jamaica in sports, especially in track and field.

Rodriquez was recognised with the Order of Distinction (OD) for outstanding achievement and service to sports, in particular, horse racing.

For the JFF, both Shaw and Bell are worthy of the recognition.

“So well deserved,” was how JFF President Michael Ricketts described the national award to “Juicy” Bell, who has the responsibility of overseeing the managerial support given to all of Jamaica’s national football teams.

He was originally manager of the Reggae Boyz and has worked at the JFF in various positions since 1994.

However, it is his playing days and his contribution to Jamaica’s football programme on the field that has endeared Bell to Jamaicans, a release from the JFF stated.

He played Manning Cup for Kingston College and for the national team to the age of 37. This included playing on Caribbean teams and serving as captain. Prior to that he played for Santos and Tivoli Gardens football clubs. Bell, who showed unbelievable skill, was an astute reader of the game and was calm and unselfish on the field of play where he mastered many positions, except goalkeeping.

Bell was a true, humble, proud servant of the game for almost his entire life, with much more to give. The JFF is honoured to have him as a part of the football team and is extremely happy that he has received national attention in this way.

Regarding Shaw and Marley, the release added: “These appointments suitably reflect the significant achievement of Jamaica’s national senior women’s team (the Reggae Girlz) as the first Caribbean team to qualify for the Fifa Women’s World Cup at the senior level and the outstanding role they both played at their respective levels in this achievement.

“From Miss Marley offered to help the women’s programme in 2014 and accepted the JFF’s offer to play the role of ambassador for the programme, she has given her heart, soul and resources to the success of the programme.

“In doing so she has helped to bring international awareness to Jamaica’s women’s football programme. It is fairly safe to say that the achievement of qualification, which by any standard was in record time, was in a huge way due to her selfless and unwavering contribution. Needless to say, this has continued even after qualification. Jamaicans have come to love and appreciate Miss Marley for strengthening the Marley legacy in yet another sphere of life, football.

“Khadija Monica Shaw has represented the very best of the Jamaican female spirit, resilience and talent on the football field since she started playing football at the school, then club and eventual national level. At the national level she has represented Jamaica at the Under-15, Under-17, Under-20 and senior levels. During the period when she also captained the side at the youth level, she successfully pursued tertiary education overseas and has now gone on to the professional level, playing in France. Jamaicans have come to love this talented footballer from St Catherine, who has persevered a lot to become Jamaica’s leading goal scorer across both genders.

“The JFF salutes with great pride these two women of Jamaican soil.”