form a partnership both believe will score well with the Island's youth.

A joint venture has been hatched to have renowned educator and current United States Soccer Federation (USSF) staff coach Dr. Tom Fleck conduct a workshop for local primary and middle school physical education teachers.

Fleck is highly regarded for his ability in teaching and relaying not only soccer or sporting techniques, but relating educational and life messages via the vehicle of sport.

The workshop will take place on September 5 and 6 at the Bermuda College, Stonington Campus, and all those that complete the course will emerge with USSF certification. There will also be an opportunity for those outside the school arena to receive certification via evening courses (6-9 p.m.) at the same venue.

"What the BFA want to present is a wonderful partnership with the Ministry of Education, that is hopefully just the start of something,'' said Jon Beard, chairman of the BFA coaching committee during an afternoon press conference.

"We recognise that it's not the job of the Education Department or any schools to produce elite athletes, but is the job of the national sports governing body, which for football is us. And we're now working with the Department of Education to try and produce a format where we can go hand in hand to help -- not just elite athletes -- all schoolchildren with regards to soccer.

"We already have a lot of very good, and very able soccer players involved in PE teaching. To this end we're trying to build on this and the Department of Education want to assist us and, indeed, all sports governing bodies as they can, but, obviously, their aim must be education to children.

"Tom Fleck's emphasis is on how sports can help children educationally and that's going to be an important part of everything he does.'' BFA technical director David Sabir agreed, noting how the cry has long been heard how sporting bodies need to be more serious about getting involved in the educational aspect of their respective disciplines.

And he added this to be only the first step along the road of what he hopes will be a fruitful partnership between the BFA and Education Ministry.

"Dr. Fleck will be bringing to the PE teachers ideas and information on how best to deal with kids in school,'' said Sabir. "We find this to be very important because in this day and time many kids are facing sets of challenges to which teachers need to be more skilled or need to increase their skills in how to handle these.

"We see PE and football as being an integral part of helping to develop children, so that their education experience will be just that.'' "We recognise that the PE teachers are not there to create first class football players, but rather to utilise their teaching knowledge to the best of their ability to help kids in all facets of sport.

"And this is one aspect that the Bermuda Football Association, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, sees as being a vital step in our quest to start, at grassroots level, an environment where we know children will be engaging in sports.

"It's our belief, and certainly our commitment, to ensure as best we can that the instructions they receive will be good instructions as it relates to football.'' This will be Fleck's second visit to the Island in such a capacity, having conducted a brief certification course last year that proved immensely popular. Fleck received his doctorate in education from Lehigh University, was a collegiate soccer All American, a technical advisor to the USSF during the 1994 World Cup and has received various honours and accolades for his playing and coaching abilities.