Running up and down chasing a ball on the soccer pitch became almost trivial for David Bascome and his Harrisburg Heat team-mates this week, with events in New York and Washington weighing heavily on their hearts and minds.

And the issue of safety - or lack of it - was further driven home on Thursday when a bomb threat was announced in the downtown Harrisburg area, sending people scurrying about Front Street, the location of the apparent device.

The threat was later revealed to be a hoax, allaying immediate fears of further catastrophe, but the exercise again brought home the message that sport is largely insignificant when life itself is threatened.

"It's a mess out here, but I'm doing alright," said Bascome, who was due to fly to Bermuda yesterday but has had those plans curtailed. "It's unbelievable. You're never safe no matter where you go now . . . this was a real wake-up call for people.

"Looking at the amount of people that died, watching TV, seeing people jumping out of the building, it's really something . . . you just never know.

"Now you're walking around looking over your shoulder not knowing what might happen. Everybody has much more awareness now," he said.

"America has always been about freedom, but I feel the people will now have to make some sacrifices, and it will not be as free with virtually anybody being allowed access to the country.

"I'm just hoping that it gets resolved, because a lot of minds will not be at rest until the full outcome is revealed."

Bascome, who as a professional footballer has to fly all over the country for matches, remains concerned as to the effects of the World Trade Center bombing on his three children.

He told of how they are now wondering what could happen to their father as he travels by air, having witnessed the two planes crashing into the twin towers.

"The most important thing right now is making sure they understand what the whole thing is about, because at the end of the day, no matter what, I'm going to be on a plane. It's part of my job, so I'm going to be flying, and it's a big concern for them," said Bascome. "As kids they don't really understand it, but I can't afford to show them any fear.

"I'm not afraid of going out and hopping on a plane. And if I do get fearful then I've got to make a decision and change what I'm doing.

"We fly every other week, and things are meant to happen. You can't change fate, if it's meant to happen it will."

Tuesday morning saw Bascome, team-mate Gino DiFlorio and a few others arrive at the stadium unaware of the terrorist attack, only to enter the dressing room and see the downcast faces of fellow squad members glued to the tragic pictures repeatedly being shown on television.

Taking to the pitch for what was an optional workout it soon became clear that soccer was the last thing on the minds of all, and training was halted after just half-an-hour with the players dispersing to spend time with their families and check on loved ones.

"There is a time for business, and Tuesday was definitely not it," said Bascome.

Asked if he harboured any concern as to the possibility of sporting events being targeted, Bascome admitted how he did, although his thinking was more towards the major pro sports such as American football, baseball and basketball rather than soccer, which is still considered minor in the US.

"That's something to think about, yes," he said. "The US Open was just in New York, with vast amounts of people there travelling, and if you think about the precision that these people operated under, then it's a very valid fear to have about the stadiums and the potential for attacks on them during sporting events.

"Football's started and that will be a target, with the amount of people that go to games and stuff.

"Everybody's trying to get back to a normal routine, but it's tough, because no matter where you look right now, whether on TV or in the newspapers, you see the bombing.

"We had a bomb scare in Harrisburg today in one of the buildings on Front Street, but it turned out to be nothing.

"It's a shame, but these are the things that are going to be going on over the next two, three weeks, with the copycats."

Bascome is now set to fly home next week.