Shayne Hollis is about to take the next step on his crusade to become a professional footballer.

The diminutive yet skilful 17-year-old North Village striker leaves for Boca Raton, Florida today where he will continue his academic studies at West Boca High School and train under top Brazilian instructor Jose Thadeu Goncalves over the next several weeks in preparation for trials with USL side Miami FC in March.

"Basically I'm going out there to finish my high school education and play football," Hollis said.

The teenager visited Florida last month with a group of Bermudians chosen to attend a week-long high performance training camp run by Goncalves.

The coach, also director of the Instituto Brasilerio de Futebol (BFUT), was on the Island last November to conduct what proved to be a hugely popular camp.

"We did a lot of technical drills and things like that to help us develop our technique," Hollis explained.

The Village youngster burst onto the senior football scene last year, joining the likes of Clyde Best and Village team-mate Keishen Bean as two of the youngest players to win the coveted triple crown. He also enjoyed a month-long playing stint with Desportivo Brazil's Under-17 team in Brazil last summer.

"I really enjoyed the experience to play football in Brazil because I realised why they are so good. They train all of the time and that's all I basically did . . . train three times a day at a high level," Hollis said.

"I was playing with a team that was very good and the conditions were also quite good. Although they were in their winter season at the time, it was still a bit hot."

The former Berkeley Institute student is the godchild of Dandy Town stalwart Carlos Smith and nephew of Sports Minister Randy Horton, himself a former professional footballer.

Horton played for the New York Cosmos in the now-defunct North American Soccer League in the 1970s.

And now Hollis has high hopes of following in the footsteps of his famous uncle who captained one of the most powerful Somerset Trojans squads ever assembled.

"I've always dreamed of becoming a professional player ever since I was young," said Hollis, who began playing the sport at age 11 in Hamilton Parish.

"And so far I think I'm on the right track and just have to keep doing the things that I'm doing."

Unlike the towering Horton, Hollis stands just over five feet tall. Still, the youngster says he won't let size stand in the way of his ambition.

"My height is not a problem but I must strengthen my body," he said. "And when I go to Florida I intend to do a lot of strengthening exercises like swimming and push-ups."

Hollis was among a group of nearly 30 local juniors who passed the grade with flying colours during the week-long camp in Delray, Florida last month.

The trip was sanctioned by the Instituto Brasilerio de Futebol (BFUT) and organised by local football coaches Curtis DeGraff and Eugene Joell. And for many, it was the experience of a lifetime.

"It requires a great deal of commitment, dedication, positive interaction, skill and concentration to attend a residential camp where the programme runs from 6.30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily for six days," said DeGraff.

"And I am proud of how our players dedicated themselves to the programme.

"With the abundance of talent that we have in Bermuda, we believe this programme will benefit all the players, coaches, parents and the country as we strive to take the players to another level."

Another trip is now planned for next July with a team representing Bermuda scheduled to compete in the Rio de Janeiro Cup Tournament in Brazil.