Shane Richards, who was the coach of young Reggae Girl Tiny Seaton at McAuley Primary School, says he is happy with how the attacking midfielder has developed.

In her short career, 15-year-old Seaton has soared beyond many people’s expectations.

At 12 when she represented Jamaica at the Under-15 level, spoke volumes of her talent. Additionaly, she has won many trophies at the high school level.

“Here at McAuley Primary School is where Tiny [Seaton] first developed the love for football. Tiny came to McAuley Primary and saw the boys playing football one of the evenings while waiting for her sister, and then she asked me if she could join the team.

“So I said to her, ‘Tiny, you would have to talk to your mom’. Her mother then gave her the permission, and from that inception, she was a part of us. I think she was seven plus at the time,” Richards told the Jamaica Observer.

With her raw talent, Richards said that it was smooth sailing for Seaton in working her way into the football programme.

“She started to train and then going out to play Under-10 against other primary schools and clubs in the parish of St Catherine. She matriculated to the senior team, which is the primary school all-island team where she was one of two female players that made the team. The rules states that we must have two female players and one must be on the field at all times.

“Not only that, she was on the field at all times, but she was contributing to the team at all times. So, we won primary schools all-island competition in 2018 and she eventually made the national Under-15 team as a 12-year-old leaving primary school going on to high school.

“She went to the Under-15 trials, made the team and went to Florida to represent Jamaica and she came back and represented us at the national play-offs with the male playing against Harbour View. She basically went on to St Jago High School by gaining a scholarship, having doing so well for the school and the parish team,” said Richards, who is also the coach of Special Olympics Jamaica’s football team.

Richards, who is also the coach at St Catherine High School, said that all the females at McAuley Primary School are looking up to Seaton as an inspiration now that she has put the school’s flag very high.

“The sky is the limit, the school community at Windsor Road is feeling really good about Tiny and the club Windsor Lion as well where she had played before moving to Waterhouse Female team.

“I really like that the fact that Tiny still contacts me, asking for advice and I think she has a very good solid support base. So I can say as a coach that, I am feeling proud, I am elated that she is now matriculating to the national Under-17 team where she was in the Dominican Republic and the team made it to the quarter-finals where she not only played but she scored goals. I always say to her: ‘Keep on shining; keep on staying positive and always remember where you coming from’,” he noted.