Former Cornwall College daCosta Cup Captain Shaquan Reid is due to leave the island soon to take up a full scholarship at Chicago State University (CSU).

And while he had already started taking online classes with the US institution, there were other lessons he had been learning while preparing to head overseas.

There he will get the chance to write history at Chicago State as the school brought back the men’s football after a 30-year absence and will be playing their first season with a team that includes several members of their track and field team.

Reid, who was part of the Cornwall College team that won the ISSA Champions Cup in 2018, and led the team that made it to the semi-finals of both the Champions Cup and daCosta Cup the following year, was forced to learn patience and the lesson that not every closed door means a lost opportunity.

The left-sided player, who only started playing organised football when he got to Cornwall College, had received an offer a year ago to attend a junior college, but it did not materialise.

He said he was disappointed but did not give up hope.

“The fact is that the initial outcome was a disappointment; however, it has taught me to put my adversities behind me and gave me a sense of motivation to go forward and try again. Success will come as a result of perseverance,” he told the Jamaica Observer West last week.

This offer to Chicago State University could not have come at a better time, Reid said.

“This means a lot to us, as we all know university is expensive, especially abroad. Getting to go on a scholarship helps us out tremendously,” he stressed.

“As a result of the novel coronavirus members of my family were laid off from work, so we are truly happy and grateful that I got this opportunity.”

Describing the chance to attend university and play football on a scholarship, he said, has always been a dream.

“Yes, I’ve always wanted to play football at the collegiate level and to get a degree as I am the first person in my family to actually attend university,” said Reid, who will be pursuing a degree in business administration, focussing on accounting and finance.

Reid attained eight passes in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and four in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and finished high school with a 3.4 grade point average (GPA).

He lists Damion Reid, “who covered the athletic aspect and my neighbour Mr O’Neil Armstrong, who helped me with my academic studies,” as the individuals who had the most impact on him.

It was a former Cornwall College track and field athlete, Recordo McKenzie, who also runs track at CSU, who “made the link for me at CSU”, according to Reid.

“A member of the track and field team at Chicago State University, who previously attended Cornwall College, reached out to me and established a network link to the coach of the team as they were recruiting,” he said.

“I had not lost hope completely, but it was quite a challenge to remain optimistic, considering the other negative responses as well that were received.”

After leading the Cornwall College team in his final year, Reid said he discovered that he had leadership abilities.

And despite being used mostly in a defensive role, Reid said he does not have an affinity for any one role on the football field.

“I don’t have a favourite position, but I do enjoy tackling,” he said with a laugh.

“I am a well-rounded player, so my coaches normally use me in any position they deem me to be a better fit,” said Reid, adding that he scored six goals in the two seasons that he played at the senior level.

He noted that a lot of people were surprised to know he only started playing organised football when he got to Cornwall College.

“I have been playing football since grade seven, when I tell people this they find it very hard to believe. I attended Bethel Town Primary School in Westmoreland; we weren’t in any competition as we were a small school and lacked resources,” he recalled.

He grasped the game quickly enough and represented Cornwall College at the Under-16 level before moving up to the senior level.

Reid noted that the highlight of his time at the Montego Bay-based school was “when I made the 2018 All daCosta team and the 2019 team that would represent Jamaica in the CASA tournament in Florida. I think I contributed more to the 2019 team as I was the captain, the one leading the team to both semi-finals,” he stressed.

Reid has also played club football and he believes that will help him adjust to the next level of his career.

“I have previously played for Irwin FC, Granville United, Falmouth FC and Wadadah FC, the last three at the Western Confederation level. I do believe the experience I got from playing for these clubs will help me because it was against players that were very much bigger, both in age and size and the level of quality they possess is exceptional, and I still managed to be a standout during the competitions,” he argued.