He is throwing out the first pitch at a Little League baseball game today.

Last Thursday, he was strutting his stuff on a catwalk at one of the hottest events in the Boston area - Girls Nite Out! - where more than 500 women descended on the trendy WaterWorks Marina Bay for an upscale benefit fashion show.

By the weekend, his impromptu modelling debut was mentioned in Boston Herald's celebrity gossip column “Tracked Down” alongside other juicy titbits about the likes of actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former presidential candidate Senator John Kerry - he and his New England Revolutionary team-mates being deliciously labelled “kicker cuties”.

Such is the world in which Khano Smith finds himself these days as he is fast adjusting to life of soccer stardom.

“What modelling? What are you talking about?” he said chuckling when quizzed about this extracurricular activity, genuinely surprised that The Royal Gazette knew about it.

“It was just a guest appearance. We do appearances at different events. Somebody couldn't make it so they asked me to go in their place. I just had to wear some clothes and walk up and down a runway,” elaborated Khano, who wasn't at all nervous about joining three other Revolution players at this outing.

“Yeah, it was fun. It was a different experience. It's all part of building a name for yourself, you know.”

Clearly intuitive about the fact that the pro-sports arena is as much about business and marketing as it is about how well one performs, New England's newest acquisition is intent on doing just that - building a name for himself.

Since seizing the chance to live out his childhood fantasy of becoming a professional footballer, the Bermudian striker has been eagerly settling into his Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit and seeking to prove he belongs there.

So far, it's been promising. A sparkling pinpoint cross which resulted in a winning header in his third substitute appearance and the lone goal 17 minutes into his first start have been the highlights of his brief time in the number 32 jersey.

Despite not hitting the back of the net since his dream start, Khano is optimistic his good times have only just begun.

“I feel pretty good. I've settled in now. I'm not really agitated that I haven't scored more goals. I've had some half-chances but I wouldn't say they were full chances. If they were clear chances I think I would have taken them because I'm doing a lot of finishing now,” said the beanpole marksman, who returned to Boston yesterday after a brief trip back home.

“If anything, I'm frustrated by the lack of chances I've been getting. I've not been getting many.

“I wouldn't say I'm satisfied because I have a lot to work on but I'm pleased with my start. It could have been a lot worse. I could have not had a goal by now.

“I'm handling things well. I'm still adjusting a bit because every time we play somebody it's the first time I'm playing that team and I need to get used to their style but I feel I'm adjusting well.”

One aspect of playing in the MLS which he is yet to come to terms with is the physical nature of opponents; some behaving like they would be more at home in a wrestling ring.

“I knew it was going to be physical from playing in college in the USA. I don't know if I'll ever get used to it because I don't like it but I guess I'll have to if I'm going to succeed in this league,” said the former Dandy Town star, resigning himself to the likelihood that he may have to embrace similar tactics.

“I think I'll have to do whatever it takes to adapt. So if that's what I've got to do, then I'll do it. I'm not going to just ignore it because it won't go away.”

There is a certain number of goals which Khano would like to score this season but he declined to say how many. Beyond that, his priority is “to get a fair amount of playing time”.

“I don't want to spend too much time on the bench,” he declared, speaking like a man on a mission.

The 24-year-old acknowledged that being recruited by a successful unit as opposed to a struggling team was probably beneficial.

“That's taken pressure off me because we have guys who have been there for years scoring goals so I can ease my way though I thrive off pressure.”

Already he has experienced the league's exhilarating highs and brutal lows with New England enjoying some comfortable wins as part of their season-opening, 12-match unbeaten streak followed by their first defeat and then a tough comeback victory over MetroStars last Saturday. The Revolution are currently five points clear of Chicago Fire atop the Eastern Conference with 31 points from 14 matches, including nine wins.

“I think that game says we're a really good team. We showed a lot of character to be up 1-0, then down 2-1 and turn around and win 4-2,” Khano noted of the conquest over MetroStars.

Regarding their first loss of the season - 2-0 away to DC United - he reasoned “we're only human”.

“We came out flat. It shows the standard of the league - that if you come out flat, they will punish you and that's what DC did.

“We matched them for the rest of the game but for the first 20 minutes they really did what they wanted.”

While it was disappointing to be beaten, the former middle-school teacher focused on the proverbial silver lining.

“We were really disappointed because that was our first loss but it's not like we didn't think it wouldn't come. I don't think we ever believed we would go through the season undefeated because the league's quality of players is pretty well spread out.

“Now we can move on from the pressure that was building up every time we played unbeaten.”

Revolution's next fixture will be virgin territory for the Bermudian international as they travel to take on the LA Galaxy on Monday. He is looking forward to the trip out west and hopes he can have a positive impact.

There's still a long way to go this season but as one who has never been afraid to dream big, Khano would love to see his club go all the way - and they believe they can.

“The feeling is that we can go all the way. In the past years, they have been close. Last year they lost to DC United on penalties in the (Eastern) Conference finals,” he said.

“So we're all aiming for the MLS championship. It would be a great thing for me to do in my first year.”