The selfless actions of a Bermudian soccer coach have netted him a prestigious award in the USA.

Walter Eugene Pascoe - a former St. George's Colts player - was recently honoured as the 2002 Youth Boys' Coach of the Year (Central Division) by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

However, for Pascoe the bigger reward is seeing those under his tutelage improve not only their soccer skills but, more importantly, their academic ones - the reason behind the soccer programme.

Noting that many talented teenagers were squandering opportunities for soccer scholarships to college because of poor grades, Pascoe explained that - on the suggestion of Howard University's head soccer coach Keith Tucker - he began a soccer camp in 1998 to lure children in the Langley Park/Hyattsville area of Maryland to after-school studies.

"It's very difficult sometimes to get kids to come to programmes for reading or maths. They are not going to come. They want to stay home and play video games.

"So, the underlying reason we started the soccer programme was because we wanted to add on the academic component afterwards - and it's worked."

The sports-scholastic programme operates from a community room in University Gardens apartment complex where children come after school for help with homework; to enhance their computer skills and type papers; to get information on scholarships for high school and college and to watch videos on soccer training and skill development. The weekends are devoted to recreational and competitive or "travel" soccer.

Pascoe, who appreciates the value of free education - having attended Howard University on a soccer scholarship - was pleased yet stunned to be recognised.

"I was really surprised. I am the sort of person who would rather go ahead and just do what I have to do.

"It was something that Mr. Tucker nominated me for and a lot of what's going on is thanks to his leadership and guidance. He's always saying 'Eugene, you can do this. Eugene, you can do that'."

What warms the 38-year-old's heart even more is that this success has been achieved in a crime "hot spot". It has given him and those who work with the programme encouragement to go further.

"We're looking to have the after-school programme in other communities or apartment complexes. Our vision is to expand into other parts of Montgomery County and Prince George's County."

An accountant by profession, Pascoe works with the programme from about 2.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily and also on weekends. So strong has the response been to this initiative that his age-group teams now compete in a number of leagues beyond their community (travel soccer).

"What happens in the USA is you have recreational soccer which is in your community and then you have travel soccer which means you leave your community and go to other nearby counties or states. For us that would be like going to other areas in Maryland or to Virginia.

"We are at the point now where we have a club system and we are in elementary schools. We started that programme - developmental soccer - last spring and we're about to expand it to more schools.

"I spend more time now with the developmental segment of the programme which is for kids from four to eight or nine years old. Then we start picking teams after that," explained the son of Walter and Valina Pascoe.

Outlining their reasons for selecting Pascoe, the NSCAA hailed his community spirit and father-like approach in coaching young players.

A statement from the umbrella organisation stated: "This prestigious award honours coaches who have given their time and expertise to the youth of the nation. Coaches, like Mr. Pascoe, who exemplify excellence in the developing of soccer players and those who provide a nurturing environment, are the best candidates for this award."