"NOT every kid is going to get a masters degree in education or mathematics. But they can get a masters degree in common sense."

So says David Bascome who along with fellow professional player Shaun Goater, has been staging their annual soccer camp at the National Sports Centre this week.

Bascome said that today's youth not only required more discipline, but that it is also vital that they were placed in structured environments that encouraged discipline.

"A parent may not have the most studious kid, but they can have the most responsible and disciplined kid," said Bascome.

"This is what we have to explain to our young people."

Bascome encouraged parents to keep it "real to make it right" for their kids continued development.

More renowned for his exploits on the soccer pitch, the 32-year-old Harrisburgh Heat star who is also making a name for himself these days as a motivational speaker in the US, says that a considerable amount of Bermuda's youth are not receiving the proper guidance and information required to help them make the right choices in life.

"We fail to give them all of the information," Bascome pointed out.

"We also have to keep it real for them and let them know what's what - don't abuse these young people by giving them a lack of knowledge.

Now a parent himself, Bascome said that it's imperative that he make the proper sacrifices and remain focussed on the essentials of life and not only on his desires.

"I have kids, therefore, I also have to keep myself focussed on what I want in life.

"Sometimes you need to put aside the things you want and focus on the things you really need in life and the things that you need have to benefit both parties," he added.

"We may not be responsible for being knocked down, but we are responsible for getting back up, but our young people don't know who is knocking them down.

"And if you are responsible for knocking some of these young people down, then you had better put your hand up and be accountable and help these young people out because they need some guidance."

Bascome said that many of today's kids are pushed out of the nest inadequately equipped with the essential tools and necessary life skills required to survive and were expected to be independent.

"When you're bringing kids up and knowing what our society is like, you still have to take some time out and be responsible for them. It seems as though we are only responsible for them until they reach the age of nine and all of a sudden these kids are sent out there to be more independent.

"We have to avoid being ignorant and come together."

The former North Village star also reckons that if today's kids want to make the grade - whether as a soccer pro or in any other job - then they have to be willing to sacrifice today in order to get more later.

"Everyone's trying to get those fancy things just to get ahead," he added. "It's all about the money and the cost of living is high down here.

"That's how things are portrayed here and that's the only thing that they (kids) are focussed on - it's all about finance.

"Kids today have to learn how to sacrifice today because if they fail to it's just not going to work and that's not only related to the game.

"The thing is that you have got to be willing to make some sacrifices - you know once a mistake, twice a habit. You just can't put yourself back into those situations."

"A lot of kids say that they want to become a professional player and want to be rich," he said adding, "being rich though, doesn't mean having all of the money in your pocket, because you can share with people and then you don't have anymore and then you become broke.

"To me, rich means knowledge and information. You can share with everyone that you want to and still have it and kids have to be educated on that because if they aren't then they are going to lose sight."

Bascome also reflected briefly on some of his own experiences growing up as kid in the island's central area.

"I came up in the ghetto areas and got used to that way of living," Bascome recalled.

"Observing guys selling drugs and everything else. But I had to be careful, because I could have easily been caught up.

"It's worse off now than it was then, but I actually went through some stints in my life where I fell through some cracks."

Bascome also noted how he was very fortunate to have someone there to help guide him through some of life's early challenges and that it's unfortunate that some kids today may not have that person and that they will have to find self-motivation.

"I can remember when Wendell (Baxter) used to train me," he reflected.

"He (Baxter) used to tell me when I was around 16-17 years old that I couldn't have a girlfriend! He actually went up my girlfriend's house and told her, 'hey look, this is the situation, David is focussing on playing soccer and he wants to become a professional soccer player' and I had to make that sacrifice, but there were times when I had to climb out of my window just to try and hang out with the boys.

"But there came a time when I had to finally make that decision.

"But things have changed now, because when we were playing ball on the street there was still that kind of unity and there were guys still playing for each other.

"You had more soccer going on than drugs going on in the street and we were able to bring that onto the field."