A Bermudian soccer legend, passionate about getting youth off the streets and on to the playing field, appealed for support from Rotarians.

David Bascome spoke to members of the Hamilton Rotary Club yesterday asking them to support his latest initiative— Bermuda's first professional soccer league, known as Island Soccer League (ISL).

Mr. Bascome grew up like many displaced youth on the Island, living in the children's home Sunshine League, getting in and out of trouble and coming in close contact with the streets.

However, soccer became his way out and lead him to a seventeen year professional career with the Harrisburg Heat and Baltimore Blast of the National Professional Soccer League in the United States.

Passionate about the Island's youth, Mr. Bascome created the ISL—made up of 135 locals aged 18-35, as a way to give back to the community and teach not only soccer but social skills as well.

According to Mr. Bascome, this was an age group no one else wanted to touch, yet a group he felt accountable for. He asked himself the question: "If I can take them to 18, why can't I take them further?"

"We are going to show people that these age groups are not bad people," he said. "We are not just building soccer players, we have these young men coming off the street, the young men coming from college, the young men coming from Westgate".

"I want this to work because that is one more young man that we don't have to worry about on the streets."

Digicel and the National Sports Centre have been big supporters of the initiative, as well as Government, but Mr. Bascome asserted that he has no political platform and is only interested in joining forces with those with similar motives.

He said: "If we are going in the same direction and in the same boat, lets move together.

"People have to understand no matter what happens there is no platform here. My concern is I want to move young people. If I am asking for my players to come together— why can't I open my arms to support, no matter where it is coming from?"

Though the season is finished, there will be a fundraiser All-Star game on Saturday, featuring the top players from the ISL teams.

The game will take place at the National Sports Centre and will also feature a free-concert with local artists, such as Reggae-artist Collie Buddz.

Mr. Bascome has big hopes for the ISL and this year he provided it's players with some opportunities to be scouted by overseas teams.

In addition, he is planning a Youth Support Programme that would be open to all people in the community, from four to 35-years-old interested in playing soccer.

According to Mr. Bascome it is all about saving lives, he said: 'If I can touch one young player and get them to stand up and move, that is success."