We join the chorus of applause ongoing for the recent recognition of our country’s leading exponent of women’s football, Miss Khadija “Bunny” Shaw.

The Reggae Girlz captain and inspirational figure created history with the award of Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year — a first for a Caribbean citizen.

But what made the award extra special, we believe, is that it was the first time the stranglehold on it by North Americans has been broken. That, of itself, is a powerful achievement when weighed against the background that the Americans and Canadians are global giants of the women’s game. The Americans, who are defending world champions, have the most titles of any country.

Women’s football in the Caribbean is only just catching on, and Jamaica’s historic qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 in France was seen as an achievement that defied the odds.

That Jamaica have qualified for the Australia/New Zealand edition slated for July 20 to August 20 this year speaks to the rapid growth of the game in the region.

In all of that, the on-field protagonist was the irrepressible Miss Shaw, who, like a mighty warrior, led her teammates from the front in both successful campaigns.

True to her class and quality, she has transferred her goal-scoring form to iconic Manchester City and already this season has a league-topping 18 goals to her name.

So when her exploits for club and country are tallied, Miss Shaw’s latest award is deserving beyond any doubt.

But her latest success must be seen in a wider context. Her shining example of hard work and dedication, we think, holds key lessons for a generation of young men and women.

Apart from the obvious benefit of raising the profile and stimulating wider participation of the women’s game here, Miss Shaw’s story will serve as inspiration for her peers and a generation of boys and girls to follow.

We expect that young women, in particular, will find fillip in the professional and determined manner in which Miss Shaw has gone about shaping her career. We hope they will not only look, but learn.

Crucially, we hope they will see in her a reflection of themselves that anything is possible with God-given talent, positive guidance, and self-belief.

“This award means a lot for women’s football in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean…her success will no doubt inspire a lot of Jamaican girls, and even more girls across the wider Caribbean,” Senior Reggae Girlz Assistant Coach Mr Xavier Gilbert is quoted in today’s Jamaica Observer.

We agree with his sentiments to the very last note.

Mr Gilbert is not alone in reading deeply into the possibilities from having Miss Shaw as a role model of the highest calibre.

“Her success has shown every young Jamaican and Caribbean girl who wants to be inspired by Bunny’s success that it can be done with hard work and dedication,” is how former assistant Reggae Girlz coach Mr Andrew Price put it. I doubt we could have said it any better.

In a time when we struggle with decaying social and human values and high crime, Miss Shaw shines through.

Her examples and achievements give us hope that all is not lost, and we expect that young men and women will recognise that — like Mr Usain Bolt before her — Miss Shaw is a true representative of what’s good about Jamaica.

We await the next Khadija “Bunny” Shaw and story of inspiration.