Assistant coach Maurice Lowe sees no reason why Bermuda Under-17s cannot advance from their World Cup qualifying group and reach the Concacaf Championships.

The Under-17 national team have been pitted against regional powerhouses Trinidad and Cuba as well as St.Kitts in the quarter-final group stage, which will be held in Trinidad next week.

The top two finishers along with the best third place team will qualify for next year's 12 nation Championships.

Lowe is confident the Under-17s possess enough quality in their ranks to march onto the next phase of the prestigious competition.

"I think we have a high quality group and I think we can qualify if we get the right performances from those matches," said the former Bermuda senior national team captain.

"Our opening match against St.Kitts will be a vital one to win as it will put a bit of pressure on the other teams.

"It would be a dream come true to reach the Championships and it would be a reward for all the hard work we're putting in at the national academy.

"It would speak volumes for the national academy and football on the Island."

Lowe, who revealed he had left the Somerset Eagles coaching staff, joined the national academy's backroom team as a part-time coach earlier this year.

He said he was relishing working alongside technical director Derek Broadley and the other coaches, Devarr Boyles, Scott Morton and Gary Darrell.

"I'm absolutely loving it. I learn from the other coaches every time I come down here.

"I'm a life learner and I'm always looking to pick new things up. I see things away from the game on a daily basis which I try to relate to football.

"To be involved with these quality coaches at the national academy is a really good experience for me."

The team leaves Bermuda on Monday and will face St.Kitts two days later before playing Cuba on Friday, August 20, and host country Trinidad on Sunday, August 22.

All games will be played at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya, Trinidad, where Bermuda's senior national team famously toppled the Soca Warriors 2-1 in the World Cup qualifiers in 2008.

The Under-17s, who thrashed Bahamas 5-2 on aggregate in the previous round, return to the Island on Monday, August 23.

Bermuda Under-17 squad: Dale Eve, Zeon Robinson, Zeiko Lewis, Jonte Smith, Shakeem Albouy, Jair Minors, Tre Ming, Jcquan Smith DeShields, William White, Mauriq Hill, Jevon Swan, Dimitre Frias, Chikosi Basden, Shachkeil Burrows, Quintonio Lema, Kamau Leverock, Ryan Hassall, Shahkai Trott, Mikal Simmons, Juma Mouchette. Head coach: Devarr Boyles. Assistant coach: Maurice Lowe. Team physio: Craig Brown.