A Park, home of top Scottish club Glasgow Rangers.

With airline tickets provided by sponsors, their local clubs and family, the seven members of Bermuda's under-17 national team departed for Scotland where they will spend the next week and a half training with the former Scottish champions.

Georon Trott (defender, 15) of Devonshire Colts, Zane Hendrickson (goalkeeper, 14), Kiman Simmons (midfielder, 15) and Marlon Dill (midfielder, 15), all of North Village, Raymond Beach (midfielder, 14) of Dandy Town, Jared Peniston (midfielder, 15) of Wolves and Nadir Wade (defender/midfielder, 15) of Somerset are all on the trip of a lifetime.

The sponsors who rallied to the cause were Joan Alberto Herramorrom, manager of Esso, William Storie, a partner with Charles Vaughan Johnson of Retfin Ltd, Crissons, Bank of Bermuda, Ernst & Young, Staples, Meyer Travel, Colonial Insurance, Marc Telemaque and Triangle Amusements as well as local clubs Dandy Town and Devonshire Colts, who contributed to Trott's expenses.

The opportunity came as a result of Rangers' recent participation in the International Youth Tournament which was held here. John Chalmers, Director of Youth Football at Rangers who coached their team here, will be responsible for the Bermudians who will be accompanied by national team physio Anthony Raynor.

"I'm excited for them, this is what they need, and the more exposure the players can get -- whether in Scotland or Holland or Brazil -- the better they are going to be for the experience,'' said youth team coach Mark Trott.

"They will be training twice a day which will help improve their technique.

It's not what they call an official trial but these teams are always going to look, maybe even the head coach himself.'' Also, the youngsters will be among about 50,000 spectators at Ibrox Park for Rangers' home match on Saturday against Motherwell.

Storie, who is also chairman of the Rangers Supporters Club, says the opportunity is an exciting one for the teenagers.

Rangers are one of the biggest clubs in Britain and they will get the chance to see first hand how a professional club is run.

"They just spent 23 million in the close season to buy players and these kids are going to see these guys and be close to them,'' said Storie. "You are talking about players making 25,000 to 40,000 a week.

"This is big stuff, up there with Juventus and AC Milan. We've got the talent but we've got to let them see what the big world looks like, they just need to see the bigger picture.

"If they can organise this on an annual basis that would be marvellous.'' Harrison Trott, former Devonshire Colts player and father of Georon, has stressed to his son the significance of the opportunity.

"My wife (Georgette) and I would like to thank the sponsors for making it possible for him to go overseas and train,'' said Trott.

"As a former player I know it's a wonderful opportunity and certainly I hope he does his best and that positive things arise from it. We tell him he has to work hard at things and prepare himself because if anything should come up, then if you are prepared you are ahead of the game.'' Colts treasurer Andrew Richardson echoed those sentiments. "It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep youngsters interested in football, just because there are so many other things they can do these days,'' said Richardson.

National coach Clyde Best, who was not much older than some of these youngsters when he ventured over to English club West Ham United for the first time, knows that the experience can only help the youngsters in all aspects of their lives.

"I think it is fantastic, how many kids get a chance to do that from here?'' said Best during a training session with the same players this week.

"It's a big club in Britain and this gives the kids an opportunity to see first hand what the professionals do. For so long our kids have been playing soccer here and thinking `that's it' but it doesn't happen that way.

"You have to get overseas. I've been advocating that since I've been here.'' GLASGOW BOUND -- Seven youngsters embarked on a trip of a lifetime yesterday when they flew to Scotland to train with Glasgow Rangers. Pictured (from left) are Marlon Dill, Georon Trott, Raymond Beach, Zane Hendrickson, Jared Peniston, Kiman Simmons and Nadir Wade.