ONE of the highlights of Bermuda's abbreviated World Cup soccer campaign earlier this year was the emergence of striker John Barry Nusum as a player of genuine international class.

The goal he scored in San Salvador was straight out of the top draw, a beautifully flighted header that beat the Salvadorean ‘keeper all ends up.

A week later in the return leg he repeated the feat with an even better strike, perhaps the best goal ever seen at the National Sports Centre.

Those two added to the five goals he smashed home during the 20-0 two-leg drubbing of Montserrat left him on top of the CONCACAF World Cup scoring charts, and even after last weekend's third round of qualifying fixtures there was still no one above him.

On that performance, the future looked bright for John Barry.

If any of Bermuda's World Cup players appeared capable of following in Shaun Goater and Kyle Lightbourne's footsteps in the English League, then he stood out as the most likely.

Instead, the news this week was that Damon Ming, who was also mighty impressive in a Bermuda shirt, had signed professional terms for Conference club Barnet FC while, on the other side of the Atlantic, Nusum put his name to a contract with Major Indoor Soccer League club Philadelphia KiXX.

While some, including national coach Kyle Lightbourne, have expressed their delight with the prospect of Nusum playing full-time football, there will be plenty who will question his choice of club.

Indoor football American-style bears little resemblance to the real game. It's Mickey Mouse soccer.

And while David Bascome might disagree, it's difficult to see how a team like the KiXX can help Nusum's career.

One of the burly frontman's main strengths, as we saw earlier this year, is his ability to beat defenders in the air - hardly a talent that will reap rewards in the indoor arena where speed and one-touch football are the keys to success.

Again Bascome, who has carved out an enormously successful career at first the Harrisburg Heat and now the Baltimore Blast, might disagree, but it would seem the indoor game bears little if any resemblance to the outdoor version.

And it's a great pity that a player of Nusum's ability has chosen this route when, with a little more perseverance, one senses he could at the very least have made his mark in Europe, certainly at the level at which Ming has joined the pro ranks.

A club like the KiXX is only likely to take his career in the wrong direction.

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SIX golfers will represent Bermuda at the World Amateur Team Championships in Puerto Rico later this month and what's particularly interesting about this travelling squad is that all but one are still at college.

The men's team of Jarryd Dillas, Fraser Hunt and Eric West is undoubtedly the youngest - and arguably one of the most talented - ever to represent the Island overseas, and the women's trio which sees students Laura Robinson and Ebonie Burgess join up with former pro Kim Botelho (formerly Marshall) is also as strong a female team as we've ever fielded.

All in all their selection is testament to the good work carried out by Bermuda Junior Golf Association over the last 10 to 20 years.

We're now seeing the fruits of a developmental programme which, by Bermuda standards, is second to none.

A few other governing bodies on the Island would do well to take a leaf out of the BJGA's book.

- ADRIAN ROBSON