concentrate on the high jump.

The 21-year-old Southampton Rangers striker has made the switch to revive a career in athletics after being convinced that there was no future ahead of him in soccer -- especially after being rejected by senior Bermuda national team coaches during their last international tour.

Confused and hurt at being left out of the tour to Cayman Island for the Shell Cup in April, Simons carefully weighed his options and came to the conclusion that his chances of advancing in sport remained in athletics and not soccer.

"To become the Island's top scorer the past season was something that I am proud of, but just having local glory is not enough for me. I've been in track and field for the majority of my life, jumping before crowds in excess of 60,000, so you cannot compare the two. Local glory obtained from a good season in soccer cannot compare to that,'' said Simons.

It's no secret that being left out of the Bermuda national squad irked the player so much that he became discouraged with the sport and the politics in the selection process.

Once he claimed that it was difficult to deal with the "cliques'' of local soccer, noting at the time that seven Dandy Town players were chosen in a squad and nobody from his own side.

It was dealing with matters of that nature that disturbed him as he saw no chances of advancement in the sport, virtually killing his hopes of ever getting international exposure in order to help in attract attention to have trials with a foreign professional team ...either in England or the United States.

"I saw no chances of advancement if I stayed in soccer. Neither Bermuda's Technical Director Clyde Best or anybody from the BFA have contacted me since they returned from the Cayman Islands, nobody has ever left any word so I guess nothing was going to be set up for me to get trials or whatever,'' said Simons.

"One of my main goals was to get trials, my goal was always to play at a professional level outside of Bermuda. But after experiencing these problems to break into the national team I've decided that it doesn;t make any more sense to pursue a career in soccer.'' Track and field has for long been Simons' true love, having represented Bermuda at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria when he was just 16, now he is anxious to return to athletics.

What really motivated him was his accomplishment when he decided to return a few weeks ago, with very little training he showed no rust after a three year layoff by lepaing six foot, eight and three-quarters of an inch during the National Championships at National Stadium which was good enough to earn him a place in the CAC Games in Venezuela in August.

"That was the first competitive meet I've been in in about three years and I was inspired by my performance. I am truly looking forward to the CAC Games and if I manage a jump of 6-10-3/4 down there then it will qualify me for the Commonwealth Games in Maylasia,'' said Simons.

He said that he was happy to return to track and field at this time because, at his age he doesn't want to be just hanging around Bermuda and waiting for an opportunity to come his way.

With so much happening in track and field his own destity is more within his reach than it was in socceer when he had to depend on people to pave the way for him to hve professional trials.

"Track and field will help me get abroad, the Bermuda Track and Field officials are looking at ways to get me away to various track meets and this way I will be in the eye of people abroad who could do more for me, '' he reckoned.

Doing well at CAC will see him qualifying for Maylasia after which he could reach unlimited heights with a good showing he believes.

But while he is confident that he got away from soccer at the right time, Simons isn't convinced that other youngsters will be as fortunate unless they get sound advice about the prospects of advancing in soccer.

"I just feel as though not enough is being done for the youth of Bermuda in soccer. There is a lot of talk and not enough action,'' he noted.

His goal in track is to develop enough so that he becomes capable of jumping at a height of 7ft 1 and 7ft 2, accomplishments that may attract the sort of sponsorship to help him earn a decent living.

The ultimate goal for Simons is to reach the status of the Brian Wellmans and Troy Douglas' where he is eligible to participate regular with the world renown elite athletes at various international meets.

So much lies ahead for Simons in track and field as long as he is determined to work hard to reach these ultimate goals. But one thing for certain is that his career in soccer has at least been put on hold for the immediate future.

"I have spent a whole two years in Bermuda playing soccer and I haven't gone anywhere....no trips abroad to broaden my horizons on anything of that nature.

After a short return to athletics gates are opening, I've earned a place on the CAC team, I'll probably travel to a meet abroad in a month's time, that's what I call making progress,'' he said