Reggae Girl Tiffany Cameron
With the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic interrupting her progress with the ball, Reggae Girl Tiffany Cameron is using the time away from the field to pursue her other passions – music and coaching.
Having already honed her skills in a thrilling 11-year football career that has taken her to nine clubs in six countries – never staying for more than a year – the Canadian-born Cameron has been taking strides to broaden her horizon.
So while many other sportsmen and women are struggling to cope with the restrictions brought on by the virus which has infected over two million and killed over 150,000 people around the globe, Cameron welcomes the opportunity to revisit her shelved projects.
“It has given me the opportunity to work on things that I haven’t been able to entirely give my undivided attention to while playing soccer. One of my dream jobs is to be an assistant coach at the Ohio State University, which is where I attended school for four years.
“In order to do that, I need a coaching licence which is what I’ve been putting off. Fortunately during this time I’ve managed to complete a few online prerequisite courses, so I’ll be ready for in-class workshops and on-field courses/assessments for at least my C licence by the time quarantine is over,” Cameron told the Jamaica Observer from her base in Ontario.
“Once I get my C licence, I will look to get my B licence and maybe one day my A licence, so I can also have the option of coaching at a national level. So, it [quarantine] hasn’t been very difficult for me, I am used to being in my own space and enjoying my own company when I need to.
“As social and bubbly as I can be sometimes, I love the concept of ‘me time’ and after such an eventful year travelling, I am okay with this slight pause. I’ve been creating music, creating videos, editing and writing to pass the time,” the forward, who played six friendly contests for Canada’s senior women’s team in 2013, added.
Though her latest contract with Norwegian outfit Stabæk recently came to an end, prior to the senior Reggae Girlz closing their cycle with a failed attempt at Olympic qualifying, Cameron believes it is practical for her to stay in shape amidst the uncertainty.
She has scored three goals in 20 appearances for Stabæk and has so far logged four goals in eight appearances for the Reggae Girlz.
“It is absolutely important for not just athletes, but those who don’t play any sports to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which is essential during this time. Now is the time when people can cater to their own personal needs a bit more.
“Meditation, goal-setting, eating well, and working out are all things I was doing before the pandemic, and haven’t stopped doing. Playing professional soccer has disciplined me in a way where even if I am in my off season, I find time to keep my body fit, as I have to be ready to go when I’m called upon by team Jamaica and my professional club,” Cameron reasoned.
Though she has been flirting with her musical abilities for quite some time, with her first single released in 2017, it was during the Reggae Girlz’s historic appearance at the Fifa Women’s World Cup in France last year that her music flourished alongside her football career.
The 28-year-old’s World Cup-related rap single titled Our time is now, took centre stage in the various stadiums where the Reggae Girlz did battle against Brazil, Italy, and Australia.
Cameron, who goes by the name “Tiff” in the music arena, was inspired to do a track about the current health crisis after one of her friends recently recovered from COVID-19.
“It’s called What Kind of World (Quarantine Edition), and can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, and other online streaming platforms and stores. What my friend went through was difficult for her, and it inspired me to create a song with a strong message encouraging everyone to work together as a team to fight the virus, so that our loved ones stay safe,” she explained.
Looking ahead, Cameron, who recently decided against a potential signing in South Korea due to the language barrier, is eager to find some stability in the professional arena with a long-term contract, while adding more life to her musical interest when the pandemic ceases.
“I’m going to continue to play football until my body, or my mind, decides it is time to move on, so after things clear up, I will look to play overseas again when the time is right.
“As for my music, I want to drop a few music videos the next year or two and hopefully do a couple of collaborations with different artistes. One day I would love to be involved in the making of a sport commercial and somehow incorporate some of my music in it. But for now I want to continue to be that unique footballer who makes music,” Cameron ended.