Jamauri Richardson, the Bermuda wide receiver, can hardly wait to prove himself when he joins his new team-mates at Santa Barbara City College next month.

The 18-year-old St David’s Islander is among the school’s new recruits who will be looking to impress the coaching staff during summer tryouts. And he has vowed to hit the ground running at SBCC who play in the Western State Conference.

“I just want to hurry up and get it started because I feel like I can make something happen,” said Richardson, who is 6ft 4in and 220lbs.

“I am excited and looking forward to it because I feel it is another chapter in my life.

“I have been excited since I was accepted in February and the whole time I have been staying in shape and just trying to save up money so once I get out there I am good to go. I train in the gym at least two to three times a week, play flag football on Sundays at Bernard Park and run out to Clearwater Beach here and there.”

Craig Moropoulos, the SBCC head coach, is excited over the prospect of strengthening his squad with the arrival of new recruits such as Richardson.

“Things are going well [in spring practice] and we are excited about some of the guys we have got out there,” he said.

“The next phase will be June, where we will have another influx of recruits coming in. We are excited about the possibility of a nice upgrade.”

Richardson started playing American football as a wide receiver and a free safety at Massanutten Military Academy and after graduating continued his development at Mountain West Prep School.

Playing on both sides of the football, he says, has its advantages.

“When you are playing safety and you have also played wide receiver you know all the tricks that wide receivers are going to be doing to try and get open,” Richardson added.

“You know what they are working for so it takes away that element and it is the same thing playing receiver.

“You know what the defence is looking for so you know how to take that away from them so for me playing both opens my eyes to what is going on in the field.”

Richardson no longer plays in both positions. “I was more suitable to be a wide receiver than a safety,” he said. “I am still a good size for both. But it was just a choice and I just picked wide receiver.”

Like many aspiring athletes, Richardson has his sights set on playing professionally.

“The ultimate goal that everybody strives for is the NFL,” he said. “But whatever branches off from the NFL is still just as good, so that is my target. Shoot for the moon, you fall upon the stars. That is the concept.”

Since completing prep school and returning home late last year, Richardson has sacrificed a lot in pursuit of his academic and athletic ambitions.

“Everybody wants to go out and all that when they are young,” he said. “But once I get away in college there are going to be times when I am going to be able to have fun and at the same time play football, which is worth more than going out for a little bit while I am [in Bermuda].”

SBCC, who went 7-3 last season, the college’s most wins in over two decades, will host San Bernardino Valley in their season opener on September 6.