Can the Reggae Girlz’s exceptional achievement at the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Sunshine Girls’ bronze medal at the netball equivalent help to promote sports participation amongst Jamaican youth — male and female?

For us the answer is a resounding ‘yes’.

But for that to happen there has to be proactive encouragement from the State, the various sporting organisations, and their business partners, the sponsors.

Earlier this week, a responder to a television interviewer emphasised one very obvious point as he extolled advantages of football being pushed in every nook and cranny of our towns and deep rural communities.

“…We woulda have less crime, yuh know,” the unidentified man said.

That’s the truth, and we all know it. Yet, though there is plentiful talk, the evidence does not suggest that the admittedly cash-strapped State and the profit-driven business sector are doing enough to promote sport and recreational activity in a country dragged down by crime and antisocial behaviour.

Positive social impact apart, Jamaicans — steeped in amateurism — need to also recognise that sport is among the fastest-growing service sectors globally, with current estimated worth in excess of US$500 billion.

In all of this, we believe the business sector, especially, should take a long, hard look at itself.

It shouldn’t be only about ‘picking winners’ in the short-term promotional drive to sell products when sponsorship is offered.

It seems to us that there is much more to be gained over the longer term in supporting sport and all positive behaviour at the community and national levels.

To that end, we believe infrastructure for football and other sporting disciplines needs urgent attention.

It’s been suggested that much expanded leagues for school girls and women should be among the legacies of the Reggae Girlz’s achievement in becoming the first English-speaking Caribbean team to reach the knockout round of a FIFA World Cup tournament. That’s regardless of gender.

However, despite gradual improvement over many years, most football playing surfaces across Jamaica remain substandard, at best — very unsuitable for the nurturing and growth of the sport. That’s something men’s Head Coach Mr Heimir Hallgrímsson has been at pains to point out.

Indeed, some fields are so poor they pose real risk of serious physical injury.

Here’s an aspect that the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), in partnership with other sporting bodies, should be exploring as a matter of urgency with Government and private sector leadership.

For sure, not just the Reggae Girlz’s achievements but the quality of play at this women’s World Cup — now approaching its conclusion — should make life easier for JFF President Mr Michael Ricketts and his colleagues as they seek help to improve football and its support structures locally.

For those of us long addicted to the men’s game, and having largely ignored women’s football, the high quality and competitiveness on show in Australia and New Zealand is eye-popping.

Of note is that all previous winners of the women’s World Cup have been knocked out ahead of the semi-final phase. It reflects the phenomenally rapid growth of the women’s game in far-flung places worldwide.

FIFA and all others responsible for that expansion deserve the highest praise.