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FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida - Damion Stewart is a man on top of his world. A world he has built with hard work, dedication and sense of purpose. But he's out to conquer new ones even as he's being crowned the king of his.
Stewart, 28, was named the outstanding player for English Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers (QPR) where he was lifted above all by a vote of his peers and fans to end his season on a high note, but the Jamaica defender is not resting on his laurels and is poised to set sail for new horizons.
Queens Park Rangers' Jamaican defender Damion Stewart (centre) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in an English Championship game this season.
"It's obvious that every serious player's dream playing in England is to get into the Premier League, so hopefully if I don't go up with my team next season maybe some club will come and get me... when you have an outstanding season like I had there is always rumours of people showing an interest in you, but my focus is with QPR right now," said Stewart in Fort Lauderdale with the Reggae Boyz for a friendly international against Haiti.
Popularly called 'Stew Peas' after the favourite Jamaican dish, Stewart is also relishing the honour of being the top performer at the London-based QPR.
"I'm really feeling good about it, but it's not something that I'm really surprised about... because this season I was pretty much the outstanding one and I'm really honoured to get this award from my club knowing that it is coming from the fans and the players," he said.
And while his 2008/2009 season appears a perfect one by some measure, Stewart is looking to add spice to the pot of his simmering professional career.
"I'm never satisfied; I'm one who's always trying to do better to improve myself, but the areas that I would be looking to improve on is getting forward and using the ball more offensively, but defensively I think I am solid," said the no-nonsense centre back.
Last season, Stewart ventured out of defence to score four goals, and the season before he also had one. Next season he's looking to eclipse those records, though he has not settled on a figure.
"It's always a bonus for a defender to score, but my team is always looking to me to get the odd one because I'm really aggressive whenever I get into the box... hopefully I can do better next season," he said from the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites here on Friday.
Four years in the tough and competitive world of English football have taught the strapping player vital lessons that he hopes to transfer to the Jamaica set-up.
"The English game is more professional... it's all about your attitude and work ethics and of course my organisation at the back has gotten better," noted Stewart, a former Ardenne High star.
Like fellow Jamaica defender, Claude Davis, Stewart is still peeved by being left out of the first three semi-final round CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches against Canada, Mexico and Honduras by former technical director Rene Simoes.
"The ultimate dream is to play in the World Cup and not being invited for the first set of games was heartbreaking... that was like a dagger to my heart, but we have to put that behind us and remain focused," he said.
"When I look at the teams that are going through right now and when you see the last three games we played, we could have qualified easily and most of these teams are happy that we didn't come through because we would have damaged them with the quality that we have got," Stewart noted.
Jamaica - after drawing with Canada 1-1 in Toronto, losing 0-3 to Mexico at the Azteca and crashing to Honduras in San Pedro Sula 0-2 under Simoes and a team bereft of experience - were staring down the barrel of elimination.
But after the sacking of Simoes following the Honduras game, the team made an amazing comeback under Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore in three return home matches, defeating Mexico and Honduras 1-0, then crushing Canada 3-0.
But that was not enough as they lost on goal difference after finishing on 10 points with Mexico.
"I know that the Jamaican people are very disappointed, but they must understand that we as players are disappointed as well... we have to now look forward to what we have got and what we have at the moment is the Gold Cup and the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup," Stewart said.
The former Harbour View man, capped 47 times for his country, started his professional career in England on a season-long loan with League One Bradford City in 2005/2006.
Bradford manager Colin Todd had hoped to keep Stewart on, but his form earned him a six-figure transfer to QPR. After a shaky start to life in the Championship, Stewart hit form after the arrival of Danny Cullip from Nottingham Forest and soon cemented his place in the Shepherd Bush-based side.
Stewart, 28, was named the outstanding player for English Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers (QPR) where he was lifted above all by a vote of his peers and fans to end his season on a high note, but the Jamaica defender is not resting on his laurels and is poised to set sail for new horizons.
Queens Park Rangers' Jamaican defender Damion Stewart (centre) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in an English Championship game this season. "It's obvious that every serious player's dream playing in England is to get into the Premier League, so hopefully if I don't go up with my team next season maybe some club will come and get me... when you have an outstanding season like I had there is always rumours of people showing an interest in you, but my focus is with QPR right now," said Stewart in Fort Lauderdale with the Reggae Boyz for a friendly international against Haiti.
Popularly called 'Stew Peas' after the favourite Jamaican dish, Stewart is also relishing the honour of being the top performer at the London-based QPR.
"I'm really feeling good about it, but it's not something that I'm really surprised about... because this season I was pretty much the outstanding one and I'm really honoured to get this award from my club knowing that it is coming from the fans and the players," he said.
And while his 2008/2009 season appears a perfect one by some measure, Stewart is looking to add spice to the pot of his simmering professional career.
"I'm never satisfied; I'm one who's always trying to do better to improve myself, but the areas that I would be looking to improve on is getting forward and using the ball more offensively, but defensively I think I am solid," said the no-nonsense centre back.
Last season, Stewart ventured out of defence to score four goals, and the season before he also had one. Next season he's looking to eclipse those records, though he has not settled on a figure.
"It's always a bonus for a defender to score, but my team is always looking to me to get the odd one because I'm really aggressive whenever I get into the box... hopefully I can do better next season," he said from the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites here on Friday.
Four years in the tough and competitive world of English football have taught the strapping player vital lessons that he hopes to transfer to the Jamaica set-up.
"The English game is more professional... it's all about your attitude and work ethics and of course my organisation at the back has gotten better," noted Stewart, a former Ardenne High star.
Like fellow Jamaica defender, Claude Davis, Stewart is still peeved by being left out of the first three semi-final round CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches against Canada, Mexico and Honduras by former technical director Rene Simoes.
"The ultimate dream is to play in the World Cup and not being invited for the first set of games was heartbreaking... that was like a dagger to my heart, but we have to put that behind us and remain focused," he said.
"When I look at the teams that are going through right now and when you see the last three games we played, we could have qualified easily and most of these teams are happy that we didn't come through because we would have damaged them with the quality that we have got," Stewart noted.
Jamaica - after drawing with Canada 1-1 in Toronto, losing 0-3 to Mexico at the Azteca and crashing to Honduras in San Pedro Sula 0-2 under Simoes and a team bereft of experience - were staring down the barrel of elimination.
But after the sacking of Simoes following the Honduras game, the team made an amazing comeback under Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore in three return home matches, defeating Mexico and Honduras 1-0, then crushing Canada 3-0.
But that was not enough as they lost on goal difference after finishing on 10 points with Mexico.
"I know that the Jamaican people are very disappointed, but they must understand that we as players are disappointed as well... we have to now look forward to what we have got and what we have at the moment is the Gold Cup and the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup," Stewart said.
The former Harbour View man, capped 47 times for his country, started his professional career in England on a season-long loan with League One Bradford City in 2005/2006.
Bradford manager Colin Todd had hoped to keep Stewart on, but his form earned him a six-figure transfer to QPR. After a shaky start to life in the Championship, Stewart hit form after the arrival of Danny Cullip from Nottingham Forest and soon cemented his place in the Shepherd Bush-based side.