NFL star Antonio Pierce (above) lands in Bermuda on Friday, bringing with him some of the best American football players.

The New York Giants' linebacker and four of his team-mates, Mathias Kiwanuka, Osi Umenyiora, Gibril Wilson and Jesse Armstead, are holding a free football camp at Berkley Institute on Saturday morning.

Beginning at 10 a.m., the camp is open to the first 150 children to register, and will run until around mid-day. It is all part of Pierce's attempt to bring American Football to the Island and help broaden the horizons of the Island's youngsters.

Pierce is also using the first of what he hopes will be an annual event to raise money for a new scholarship fund to send a couple of students to university in the US.

"In March I came to Bermuda to visit a couple of high schools and took questions about football in the US and about how they (the children) could get to college in the US," said Pierce. "It got me thinking that I could do something to help.

"I was asked over and over what it took to be able to get into an American college, either on an academic scholarship, or as an athlete.

"Children are told all the time that discipline, learning, education are important, but sometimes when you are young you don't listen. But I thought if a professional athlete was telling them that, showed them what they could achieve if they tried, then it might make a difference.

"But football's not just about throwing the ball and tackling, it's rough, but it's so much more.

"Hopefully the kids will learn some life lessons as well as having fun.

"You need to be disciplined to play football, you have to learn to make the right decisions, you have to concentrate. I have to know 1,000 different signals and plays to be at the Giants. It takes a lot of hard work to do that.

"I want the camp to braoden kids' horizons, to teach them life lessons, and if I can take just one kid who is going down the wrong path and turn them around then I will consider it to have been a success."

As well as putting on the camp, Pierce will also be holding a gala dinner at the Fairmont Southampton on Saturday evening. There will be an auction as part of the attempts to raise money for the scholarships.

For information about either event, contact Corporate Concierge Bermuda on 333-2476.