National academy midfielder Paul Douglas is to have trials at English Premier League team West Ham United.

The 12-year-old Mount Saint Agnes pupil has been granted $4,400 from the Ministry of Sport to cover the costs of his try-outs with the Hammers.

West Ham's International Academy entered a mutually beneficial partnership with the Bermuda Football Association (BFA) last month, which gives the Hammers first pick of the national academy's best youngsters.

BFA technical director Derek Broadley said it was important to send players overseas at an early stage of their development.

"Paul is a very good player and this will be a good experience for him," said Broadley. "We're trying to send our players out to professional academies at an early age as the further up the ladder you send them, the harder it gets.

"It's a long term thing and West Ham will initially just be looking at Paul's ability as a player."

Around $60,000 was handed out by Sports Minister Glen Blakeney at the National Junior Athlete Sponsorship Programme ceremony at The Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel yesterday.

All grants will be given to governing bodies of the relevant sports to help support the selected promising young athletes.

Triathlete Ryan Gunn, 16, will receive $5,636 to represent his country at the World Championship qualifiers in Mexico and the USAT Pan American Invitational Triathlon Camp.

Bermuda national team cricketer Terryn Fray was awarded $6,450 to attend the Gary Palmer Cricket Academy in the UK.

Opening batsman Fray, who also plays football for North Village, captained Bermuda Under-19s at the Sir Garfield Sobers Tournament in Barbados last year, and was selected as the Bermuda Cricket Board's Youth Player of the Year.

JayLynn Hines, 14, received $9,942.73 to cover the costs of sending her on a two-week training camp and show jumping event in Munich, Germany. Hines hopes to represent Bermuda at the FET World Jumping Challenge.

Swimmer Morgan Hopkins, 16, will attend the Kevin Thorburn Training Camp, in Canada, after receiving a grant of $6,890. Hopkins won two gold medals at last year's Carifta Games.

Cyclist Dominique Mayho, 16, received $1,701 to enable him to compete at the Highland Rim Classic Stage Race in MaMinnville, Tennessee, as well as attend the Bermuda Junior Team training camp in Quebec, Canada, and the 2010 Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships in Aruba.

Ryanne Bardgett, 16, will attend the Southgate Hockey Centre in Oakwood, London, after receiving a grant of $2,611.

Golfer Ryan Roberts, 16, will receive personalised mental training, attend the International Junior Golf Tour event and participate in five sessiosn at the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy between October and December. He received a grant of $8,363.38.

Warwick Academy student Kristin Saltus, 15, received $2,022 to attend the 2010 Jean Pierre Netball Championship.

In athletics, Trey Simons, 16, was given a grant of $6,250 so he can improve his skills at a middle distance training camp and compete in four overseas track meets.

Tennis starlet Tyler Smith, 13, received a grant of $6,488 to attend the Bill Adams International Academy, in the United States, compete in the ITF Bank of Bermuda Jr Tour, the Bahamas Open, the JITIC Junior Tour in Mexico and the Coca Cola Junior ITF event in St.Lucia.

Smith is currently ranked as the number one junior tennis player in the Caribbean and Central American region for her age group.