A development programme aimed at helping to prepare youngsters with the soccer fundamentals at an early stage gets underway at five separate venues on Saturday.

The School of Excellence, which is a brainchild of Bermuda's soccer technical director Clyde Best and sanctioned by the Bermuda Football Association, will feature boys and girls at Under-12 level in clinics at various grounds in the Island.

"Every youth should have this basic coaching about the fundamentals of soccer if they want to play at a high standard. If they don't, then it's going to be hard for them to become a good player, and it will be tough on anybody who also wants to compete at a national level,'' said Best.

"We simply have to get back to basics -- there is no short cut. If you are sound in the basics about anything in life it's going to be of immense help in whatever positive endeavours that you strive for.'' The plan calls for the School of Excellence to be held every Saturday until December 20. The five venues allocated for the schools are Somerset Primary school field, Spice Valley school field, Berkeley school field, Garrison field and Whitney school field.

The schools are scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 12 noon each Saturday. Best opted to formulate such a development plan after being stunned by the poor basics demonstrated by senior players selected to train with the national squad.

Many times in the past he has expressed his concern about having to work on a player's skills at that level when they should have already mastered them.

"It's not good to be teaching basics at that stage. People tend to blame us, but it's not our fault; the clubs have to make sure they have sound programmes so that a player is much further developed when he reaches national team selection,'' said Best.

"Clubs have to ensure that people brought in to coach are able to give the players the fundamentals that are necessary and judging by what I have seen so far this certainly is not the case.'' BFA General Secretary David Sabir said that many other countries were also following this approach, noting that CONCACAF were themselves running a similar School of Excellence programme in Trinidad and Tobago.

"Most of the other countries around the world recognise that the importance must be placed on youth football in order to have a sustained programme for the future. And Bermuda should be no different,'' said Sabir.

"This School of Excellence is a good thing for Bermuda. We are hoping that the coaches, parents, club administrators and anybody else who has the future interest of soccer at heart recognises the intent of this programme.

"The intent is not to diminish, lessen what has been the norm in youth soccer at this level. We have to find a way where we can guarantee that proper instructions are given to young players for no other reason but the preservation of football in Bermuda.'' He added: "We are encouraging parents to show an interest in what their children are doing at these centres. All coaches associated with youth football, would-be coaches, please come out and get involved.'' There is a registration fee of $120 being charged, but Sabir regards it as a nominal fee, pointing out that the cost covers coaching fees and equipment purchases.

Parents are reminded that they can register at the BFA offices or by arriving at the fields early as possible on Saturday morning Last night's Martonmere Cup game between Boulevard and Vasco was called off by officials at BAA Club when the wet ground prevented them from carrying out final preparations on the pitch.

No new date has been set by the Bermuda Football Association.

A double-header is scheduled for Sunday at Bernard Park when Southampton Rangers meet Vasco and Dandy Town take on Devonshire Colts.