Hubert Busby Junior has been reappointed as Head Coach of the Jamaica Senior National Women’s Team, the Jamaica Football Federation announced in a statement on Friday.

This is Busby's second stint with the team, having held the position from 2020 to 2021.

He was removed from the position when the JFF requested FIFA to investigate unsavory media reports originating in Europe. FIFA subsequently cleared Busby.

“The Jamaica Football Federation is pleased to announce that after careful consideration and due process, our technical committee has recommended the immediate reappointment of Hubert Busby as head coach of the Senior Women's National Team,” the JFF said in Friday’s release.   

“Based on his vast experience and knowledge of the squad, we think he is the perfect individual to take the team through the next stage of its development,” it continued.

Xavier Gilbert, who was acting in the role of Head Coach since October 2023, will revert to his previous role as assistant coach.

Busby's first task will be to take charge of the 23-member squad which will play two international friendlies against Brazil on June 1 and June 4 in Brazil.    

Eighteen members of the group for the two games were members of Jamaica’s history-making 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, while former Liverpool midfielder Jade Bailey makes a return to the team which is missing prolific striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw and Kalyssa 'Kiki' Van Zanten due to injuries.

The squad is set to depart for South America on May 26. 

Squad: Chantelle Swaby, Konya Plummer, Jade Bailey, Denesha Blackwood, Kayla McKenna, Allyson Swaby, Drew Spence, Atlanta Primus, Vyan Sampson, Peyton McNamara, Page Bailey-Gayle, Trudy Carter, Kameron Simmonds, Tiffany Cameron, Sydney Schneider, Rebecca Spencer, Niya Cardoza, Liya Brooks, Amelia Van Zaten, Jody Brown, Israela Groves, Davia Richards, Lauren Reid

Every FIFA Women's World Cup sees young players come to the fore and explode into popular consciousness and Jamaica’s rising goalkeeper Liya Brooks is hoping that next month's showpiece in Australia and New Zealand will present with her moment of glory.

It may seem far-fetched given the fact that she has more experienced counterparts Rebecca Spencer and Sydney Schneider to contend with, but much like Schneider rose to prominence during the Girlz World Cup debut in France 2019, the American-born Brooks knows it is by no means impossible.

In France, Schneider, then a 19-year-old rookie, pulled off a stunning penalty save in the Reggae Girlz opening game against Brazil, though they inevitably lost 0-3.

Brooks, 18, is yearning for a big break like that when the Girlz do battle in Group F against France, Brazil and Panama at the July 20 to August 20 World Cup, but until then, she is focused on putting in the necessary work to continue impressing Head coach Lorne Donaldson and his assistants.

"Of course, there’s a competition, and I'll certainly fight for that spot in the starting team which would mean a whole lot to me at this point in my career, but I just want what is best for the team. So even if I wasn’t the one, then that’s ok," Brooks told SportsMax.tv from her base in the United States. 

"I just have to put in the work. Plain and simple and I’ll do that without hesitancy, especially going to college now, I know that will no doubt take my fitness and lifestyle to another level, and I can’t wait for that as well," she added.

Though she is still basking in the fact that she was selected in Donaldson's final squad, Brooks, who earns her Island stripes through her mother Tandi Nelson-Brooks, revealed that celebrations will be low-key, as she braces for her freshman year at Washington State University.

"It’s a great feeling being selected for my first World Cup. There’s nothing like it, because it is the highest stage of competition in both the men and women’s game, so of course it’s a very big achievement. 

"Unfortunately, there are no real celebrations. I’m off to college so an eight-hour car ride is all the celebration I’ll be doing, but I’ll be happy to celebrate a little with my new teammates, who I'm sure are just as happy as I am," she shared.

Still, the sense of pride and accomplishment Brooks feels cannot be understated having successfully transitioned from Under-17 and Under-20 representation, where she showed immense ability, which caught the senior Reggae Girlz coach staff's attention since their historic tour of South Korea late last year.

"It’s extremely massive. It puts my name on the international map at the senior level at an early stage, but for me it just makes me hungrier to strive for more than a spot on the roster next time," Brooks declared. 

"I want to play and being around the senior players have shown me that there is always work to be done, but I’ll learn from those around me and use my own experiences along the way to get there. The aim is always to push as hard as possible and to be a better player and these experiences will help me to improve," she noted.

That said, the tall and agile goalkeeper admitted that the initial stages of her transition were nerve-wracking and did indeed test her mettle but credited her more senior counterparts for their guidance in ensuring she held firm.

"It definitely wasn’t easy and still isn’t. The team itself is great and very welcoming, but I personally struggle with my own confidence and that’s what can bring down my performance at times. The team recognized that and encouraged me instead," she explained.

"Becky [Spencer] and Syd [Schneider] are amazing. They are excellent players and even better people. Alyssa [Whitehead], our goalkeeper coach, is as well. All three of them inspire me and push me to be a better player whether they know it or not. That made it really fun, and they got me through even my physically tough training," Brooks ended.

Jamaica’s young Reggae Girlz chances of securing an historic FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup berth were dented by a 4-0 defeat to Canada in their opening Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championships Group A fixture at the Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Friday.

A brace from Anabelle Chukwu (39th and 45th) and one each from leading scorer Olivia Smith (56^th) and substitute Renee Watson (90+4), made the points safe for the Canadians, who take an early lead in the group.

Reigning seven-time champions United States were leading Panama 3-0 at half-time in the second group contest at the same venue.

Canada could have won by a wider margin, had it not been for some excellent glove work by captain Liya Brooks in goal, as the Young Reggae Girlz, who were expected to use their pace and athleticism to good effect, offered very little resistance, both in defence and even more so on the attacking front.

This as the North Americans comfortably dominated possession, as they showed quality both on and off the ball and were fluent in their transitions from defence to attack.

Besides a couple of early warning shots, the young Reggae Girlz never really bothered Canada’s Faith Fenwick, who had a fairly relaxed day between the sticks.

After the Jamaicans were forced to pull Tiny Seaton, who came out worse in a head collision with teammate Njeri Lewis in the 36^th minute, Canada capitalized on the weakened defensive line and broke the deadlock when Chukwu muscled her way into the 18-yard box to easily fire past Brooks.

The powerfully built Chukwu later grabbed a second when she dispossessed Destiny Powell and made no mistakes in a one-on-one situation with Brooks, to put Canada 2-0 up at the break.

Canada maintained their momentum on the resumption and should have extended the lead four minutes in when Amanda Allen found Chukwu deep inside the six-yard box. But the striker, sporting the number nine jersey, steered her left-footer wide from point blank range.

However, they made amends in the 56^th through a nicely worked team build-up which ended with Captain Florianne Jourde laying off a pass for Smith, who drove a right-footed effort to Brooks’ weaker left side.

With space opened up for Canada’s attackers to do as they please, Jourde tried her range in the 62^nd minute with a stinging left-footer from about 20 yards out, but the effort was equally well-saved by Brooks diving full-stretch to her right.

Another shot from a distance followed soon after, this time from the left foot with that effort having Brooks beaten but came back off the crossbar.

Brooks, who has been the understudy of senior Reggae Girlz counterparts Rebecca Spencer and Sydney Schneider in recent times, again came up big to deny Kayla Briggs’ 73^rd-minute shot from close range.

However, a lapse in concentration by the defence opened the door for Canada to add another when Nyah Rose laid off a pass for the arriving Watson to finish with aplomb in time added.

With only two teams to progress from the group, the young Reggae Girlz task will be even more difficult as their next assignment will be the United States on Sunday. They will then close against Panama on May 30.

Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and host nation Dominican Republic will decide Group B.

The two finalists and third-place team will represent the confederation at next year’s Under-20 World Cup.

Four new players have been called to Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz 23-player squad for their international friendly against South Korea at the at Hwaseong Sports Complex on September 3 and a ‘practice match on September 6.

Nineteen-year-old forward Kameron Simmonds, 17-year-old goalkeeper Liya Brooks, 28-year-old defender Sioban Wilson and defender Maliah Atkins are the new players that will be vying for spots on Jamaica’s senior women’s team that has already qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.

The call-ups add depth to a strong unit, most of which were members of the World Cup qualifying squad, even though there are a few absentees because of injury.

As part of his stated policy, Coach Lorne Donaldson will be using this opportunity and other windows this year to look at other players who were not involved in the recent World Cup qualifiers.

The full squad includes Sydney Schneider, Yazmeen Jamieson, Chantelle Swaby, Allyson Swaby, Vyan Sampson, Chinyelu Asher, Kayla McCoy, Atlanta Primus, Marlo Sweatman, Khadija Shaw, Tierney Wiltshire, Drew Spence, Mireya Grey, Trudi Carter, Olufolasade Adamolekun, Deneisha Blackwood, Tiffany Cameron, Shania Hayles, Kameron Simmonds, Liya Brooks, Siobhan Wilson, Giselle Washington and Maliah Atkins.

The squad and the technical staff are scheduled to assemble in Hwaseong on August 30.