by Howard Campbell
SOUTH FLORIDA – ‘Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the best Marley ‘baller’ of them all?’ The verdict is out on that one, but the family of reggae legend Bob Marley has a long association with soccer which continues September 2 with the Maestro Marley Cup, a one-day festival at ArtsPark, Young Circle in downtown Hollywood.
First held in 2018, the event was founded by Ky-Mani Marley, one of Marley’s sons who inherited his father’s love for soccer. The inaugural staging took place in Charleston, South Carolina.
Bob Marley was a soccer fanatic whose pickup games when at home in Jamaica, or on tour, are well-documented. One of his best friends was Allan “Skill” Cole, arguably Jamaica’s greatest soccer player.
Cole, who was also Marley’s manager and fitness director, once told the Jamaica Observer newspaper that the singer/songwriter was “a good player” who “could hold his own” against good competition.
After his death in 1981 at age 36, Bob’s children carried on the tradition. Pickup games were the norm, with daily ‘matches’ featuring his sons Ziggy and Stephen taking place at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston.
Ziggy played Manning Cup soccer for St. George’s College in Jamaica while Ky-Mani is an avid fan, who sponsors the Falmouth United team in his hometown of Falmouth, a rural port town in western Jamaica.
In a 2018 interview with South Carolina’s Charleston City Paper, he spoke of his love for soccer and touted his skills. “Not to toot my own horn, but I think I’m pretty good at it,” he said.
The Marley soccer passion is not limited to ‘The Gong’s sons. His daughter, Cedella, is one of the biggest supporters of Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz team which performed creditably at the recent World Cup in Australia.
Entertainment
This year’s Marley Maestro Cup is a cultural affair. It includes musical performances by brothers Ky-Mani, Stephen, Damian and Julian, Inner Circle, I-Octane, and Locos Por Juana. In addition, Dubwise and The Dubplates plus, Alison Hinds and Spragga Benz.
There is also six-a-side soccer tournament, which sees the winning team receiving $1,000. As well as cultural arts and crafts displays.
Gates open at 12 pm.
The Maestro Marley Cup Returns on September 2 with Reggae Music, Soccer and Food
