BERMUDA'S national team assistant football coach Richard Todd plans to give women's football a boost this summer when he puts on a camp for the island's rising stars and also a coaching symposium specifically designed for those who will oversee the women's game.

Todd, who has played and coached in the United States for 16 years ¿ most recently as the academy coach of Vestavia Hills Soccer Club ¿ was named this week as the assistant to Kenny Thompson who is the head coach of Bermuda's national senior men's team who take on Trinidad this weekend in a World Cup qualifying tie.

But come next month Todd will get back to the basics with Bermuda's young girls at the football camp to be staged at the Tatem Middle School in Warwick.

There he will teach technical skills, tactical development and other aspects of the game to two groups of girls ¿ the first being players between seven and nine years old and the second being girls aged from 11 to 15 years old.

Todd has worked with kids for many years and said there is a difference in coaching girls compared to boys.

He told the Mid-Ocean News this week: "There are differences between developing boys and girls especially from a phycological standpoint.

"The emotional differences are the biggest. There are slight differences in communication. The social network is what is important in the girls' eyes compared to what is important in the boys' eyes."

And there is a difference in the ability to adapt and change.

"Boys can be driven and driven hard and you can get responses from them," said Todd. "If you use the same approach with girls quite often they develop the feeling that 'coach doesn't like me' or 'he is mad at me'. There are different ways to motivate girls and there are different reasons why they play. The friendship part is very important to the girls ¿ they want to play with people they like. Boys do not have to be the best of friends but they can play with each other. Girls want a lot more harmony among the group."

And Todd said that in some ways it can be easier coaching young girls.

"In some sense tactically it is easier coaching girls. They tend to believe the information you are giving them whereas with boys quite often you have to really convince them that you know what you are talking about. You have to establish that level of respect before they will buy into what you are telling them.

"When coaching young boys you have to put your boots on and get out there and once they realise you can play they have respect for you whereas if a girl likes the coach they will do whatever you ask them to do. But if they think the coach doesn't like them it can be difficult and hard to get them to buy into what you are asking them to do. You have to know what motivates them."

Todd said he didn't think there was much of a difference physically between young girls and boys but "as they get older the physical differences become more apparent".

He added: "But ultimately they are all soccer players. You just have to know how to get the most out of the female athlete and to get her to respond."

Todd has spent many years coaching young boys and girls. "There is a difference in youth development compared to the adult player," he said.

And when coaching young kids he said he takes away the emphasis of results. "You want to make sure that the players have the right tools ¿ you want to give them the right education and make sure that they have the necessary things to prosper. It can be difficult with older players to change their habits.

"With young players you have a fresh canvas ¿ a fresh piece of clay that you can mould."

Todd said he decided to return to Bermuda after coaching in the United States because the time was right. "From a professional and personal standpoint it was right," he said. "I spent 16 years abroad and then had the opportunity to come back spend some time here. Football in Bermuda is now at the point where they have funding and a plan in place and I came back to see if there is an opportunity to become involved here."

Todd will have three other coaches coming in to help with the camp and coaching course. The girls camp will be from July 14-18 during the day and the coaching course will be staged in the evening on the same dates.