This week the Baltimore Blast will be heading down to Monterrey, Mexico to play our game on Sunday. This will be our third game of the season and it sure calls for a battle as Monterrey are coming off a great win against Milwaukee last weekend.

We have all our players healthy for this week but can only carry 15 players on the trip.

Because the Monterrey field is smaller than our training and game fields, we will have to train on a smaller pitch for a couple of days to get the players adjusted to the size and movement of the ball. You would be surprised on what a big difference it makes when a field is either shorter or narrower. This size change has a great affect on players' runs, sharpness and awareness. This is why we have to train under the same conditions as we will be playing on.

When I visited Bermuda two weeks ago on a business and scouting trip, I noticed a couple of things that had caught my eye away from the game – things I would like to give my opinion on.

The one main thing was how some of the teams' players were dressed coming to their games.

Presentation is key and how players present themselves is very important. We must encourage them to think responsibly and show respect every time they enter the ground. With some of the teams, I noticed them either not in full team gear, some in shirts and jeans, some with the club's top but the pants hanging down by their knees or just dressing as if they were coming from a training session.

Now many of the players and coaches may not think this is an issue but let me be the one to tell you that first impressions on your young supporters, fans and club when you show up for the game is important. They have a sense of pride when seeing their team walking through the gates as a unit.

Yes, I know some of the players and coaches may argue that how they dress for the game may not have any effect of their team's play on the field, but that is not the point I am trying to make. Your team's untidiness will have a great effect on the overall game itself – a game that many before you had left for us to keep moving in the right direction, a game that we must continue to carry out with respect.

Understand that because we are all just passing through this beautiful game and it is our responsibility to retain its integrity and if that calls for us to start with our appearance off the field, than let's do that.

It is a simple process of having all your players show up in the same uniform which helps the game in many ways.

For example, my young people coming out to watch you play see that there is a standard that is up held at the senior level, they see their favourite player/team dress like a professional. this drives that player to carry themselves in the same manner when they are playing youth ball.

Now many young players have been drilled many times about teamwork and many clubs provide track suits for their youth players, but how does it look when they go to a game and see their same senior players in a T-shirt and jeans.

You may say this is minor or it does not mean much but I tell you that if players tend to show up to games however they feel then a scout may think it says plenty about the organisation.

Uniform creates more than just team unity but great pride in the club, it helps to create indentify. I do urge all the clubs in Bermuda to pay more attention to these little things that could help bring back that integrity and pride that had been installed years before us.

Some may go away from this column not caring or not even bothered. But if you allow your players or coaches to be disorganised outside the ground, that disorganisation might be carried onto the pitch.

Remember what we teach in the game, we also want the players to take away those lessons and carry them into their way of life.

Until next time!