Two years of dreaming and then planning has finally paid off after the new soccer season kicked off at the former US Naval Base.

The Youth Athletic Organisation saw soccer start last Saturday and will run golf sessions early next year and then basketball.

About 200 people turned up to watch the Premier, the Hon. David Saul, kick-start the soccer, and American Consular General, Robert Farmer, was also on hand to see new life breathed into the base.

Chairman of the YAO, Kelvin Hastings-Smith, said when the US authorities announced the base would close several parents and coaches banded together to keep the sports programme going.

"With the help of the Hamilton Round Table, we organised ourselves into a properly constituted body, set a plan and negotiated with Government for use of the fields,'' he said.

Barritts, the Bank of Butterfield, Shell, Appleby Spurling and Kempe as well as the Bermuda Commercial Bank all helped with donations of cash or equipment.

And on Saturday, the Hamilton Round Table handed over a $10,000 cheque to the YAO.

As well as sporting events, it is hoped to run a YAO summer camp and exchange programmes with US Bases in America.

"This does depend on the support of the children, parents and, more importantly, local businesses and organisations. I am hopeful that some of the Island's businesses will be prepared to assist in the costs of this,'' added Hastings-Smith.