THE mark of a truly outstanding footballer is usually found in the player who possesses foundational qualities — skill, knowledge of the game, technical savvy, courage, ambition and a strong desire to win.

Shaneil Buckley is gifted with most, if not all, of the above. Plus more.

For she finds a strong motivational and inspirational force in her mother ShuShanne White, her coach Xavier Gilbert, and her teammates — each shaping her path in fundamental ways.

However, the 17-year-old Excelsior High School player, who hails from Newland in Portmore, says her mother above all — except for God, of course — has been her “guiding” hand and light where darkness reigns.

“Everyone knows that the community of Newland is not the best of places due to its violence, but my mother has been there for me, supporting and guiding me through the hardship. She placed me on the right path and now I want to make her proud,” Buckley told the Jamaica Observer after yet another stellar display on Monday when she propelled her Excelsior team to their 11th school league title.

To her coach Gilbert, who is also the assistant senior Reggae Girlz tactician, Buckley paid tribute.

“And for scoring 45 goals throughout the season, that’s a lot of goals — and it wouldn’t have been possible without the aid from my coach [Gilbert] and my teammates,” she said.

Having been put on a firm moral footing by maternal parenting, Buckley looks ahead with great possibilities in the game.

“I thank God for everything, and I will continue to put in the effort required to be successful at what I do. Scoring three goals in the championship match feels great. I mean, I just feel good about myself that I was able to help the team succeed,” she noted.

Buckley’s goals brought her total to 58 since joining Excelsior, putting her fourth all-time in goalscoring for the school. Only Davia Richards (125), Chavelle Henry (95), and Christina Salmon (93) have scored more.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be among the best Excelsior players ever,” she remarked.

Excelsior, the defending champions of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Tip Friendly Society girls’ football competition, defeated Holmwood Technical 8-0 in the 2023 final at Stadium East field.

Buckley, the team’s captain, scored three goals in the victory. This was Excelsior’s seventh-consecutive championship win.

With goals in the first, third, and 10th minutes of the game Buckley, who was voted the tournament and match Most Valuable Player, raised her season total to 45 goals. Needless to say, Buckley — widely regarded the best high school female football player in the country at the moment — took home the trophy for the tournament’s top goalscorer.

Buckley, the niece of Reggae Boyz player Andre Lewis, has also had success at the national Under-17 and Under-20 levels. Buckley is a member of the young Reggae Girlz squad that has qualified for the 2023 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship to be held from May 24 to June 3 in the Dominican Republic. This tournament will be a qualifier for the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

“It is an honour for me to be able to put on the black, green, and gold colours for my country. It has always been my desire to play for my nation, and I am grateful for whatever chance I get. We qualified for the championship round and our goal is to qualify for the World Cup,” Buckley said.