Bermuda Football Association are urging parents and guardians of local soccer players to act with caution when receiving invitations for trials or scholarship offers from clubs and colleges in the United States.

Following the recent disclosure that as many as six players could be invited for trials with the Atlanta Silverbacks of the United Soccer League, BFA president Larry Mussenden advised that careful consideration be given by anyone approached by American clubs or colleges with offers that appear to be attractive.

Former BAA Wanderers player Brett Mosen, a coach with the Silverbacks, has claimed that his club have "a special interest" in Bermuda players.

However, Mussenden said: "I would like to take this opportunity to advise parents and guardians alike that they should act with caution in this regard.

"The BFA have not received any documentation from this gentleman. Perhaps the appropriate thing for him to do is to officially contact us so that we could establish a rapport with his club.

"One thing that concerns me is that someone would come and invite some of our players to whatever club, college or university in the United States without contacting us. I have a concern about some of the colleges in particular, and I don't know anything about this club.

"But parents need to be concerned about just sending their kids away."

Often in the past, young soccer prospects have been able to advance academically and further their playing careers at the same time as a result of scholarships offered by colleges, Mussenden pointing out that many Bermudians were currently in that position.

But in most cases the BFA have been involved, carefully ensuring that the schools are recognised and reputable.

"I really have concern about some of the colleges, especially where they are not accredited and their degrees and associate degrees, whatever it is that they may receive at the end of the day, are not going to help them in their careers," explained Mussenden.

"It is important to use football as a tool to achieve success in life but I want the students, football players and parents to be quite concerned and to be aware of the dangers of just willy nilly going off to some rinky dinky college."

Mussenden said that Mosen may have contacted Jon Beard, chairman of the BFA education committee, but he was unaware of any discussions the pair had held.

Beard is working on putting together a data base of all the colleges that do offer scholarships and all those from Bermuda who have been on scholarships, so that the BFA can assist in helping to set a pathway for local youngsters.

"But the most important thing is that it has to be at the right kind of school, the right kind of college so that Bermuda in the long term, both in football and as a country, can benefit," emphasised the president.

"I intend to check with Mr. Beard about this. He would be a key person in that he is working on our education committee initiatives and this is one of them and that was a goal that I had set from the very start.

"When we set up the education committee it was to assist our players to be able to get overseas and to use football to get ahead in life.

"Not everybody is going to be a Shaun Goater or a Kyle Lightbourne but certainly we can use every opportunity that football has and education is one of them. We have seen it work in the past and we know we can make it work in the future."'