Bermuda Football Association (BFA) are to award six scholarships to young players to further their development at university or college.

Only players currently registered with the BFA will be eligible for consideration for the Legends Scholarships Awards, named after prominent members of the sports community.

Last year, the BFA announced that for the next five years they would commit $50,000 to aid the educational aspirations of Bermuda's young players, both locally and internationally.

In order to be considered for the scholarships, applicants must collect the Scholarship Application documents from the BFA, complete the forms and return them to the BFA no later than the May 16 deadline.

Applicants must be a registered with an affiliate member (club or Bermuda Referees Association) for the previous three years.

Randy Horton, Alicia Zuill and Sam Nusum were present during yesterday's announcement at the BFA offices.

Ms Zuill said: "It was hard work starting the women's football league, and my love is still there for the game but what I would like to say to the BFA is that we need to continue emphasising education.

"We must continue emphasising education first, because it has been years since this Island has had young men leave to go abroad on scholarships.

"I remember at one stage it was anywhere between 15 to 20 young men leaving to go abroad on football scholarships.

"We have so many young people nowadays emphasising football but not the academic side.

"Education is the key when it comes to football."

Bermuda Football Association Legends 2008/09

Ernest Drew Scholarship - $15,000

Randolph Horton Scholarship - $10,000

Alicia Zuill Scholarship - $10,000

Sam Nusum Scholarship - $5,000

Gladwin Daniels Scholarship - $5,000

Keith Dunstan Scholarship - $5,000

Legends Scholarship Recipients

Machi Campbell - Dandy Town

Matthew Madeiros - North Village

Clyde Darrell - Devonshire Rec

Shantel Deshield - Lady Cougars

Waynesha Bean - Pembroke Hamilton

Kennette Burgess - Prospect United

Uthmani Talbot - Crossroads Warriors