Five Robin Hood academy players have been granted an opportunity to broaden their football and academic horizons.

Nathan Furbert, Christian Lugo, Codi Richardson, Jazir Warner and Armand Foy Jr have been invited to attend the DC United Academy residency programme at Calverton School in Huntingtown, Maryland.

They received invitations after impressing DC United scouts during Bermuda’s Brazilian Football School and Bermuda Soccer International Camp at Huntington High School in Maryland last month.

“One of the directors saw them play three matches and he was very impressed with all five and he invited them come to the school as well as the DC United Academy programme,” said Dennis Brown, who is involved with Hood’s youth programme and the BBFS.

Foy, Lugo and Richardson are midfielders, Furbert is a defender and Warner is a forward.

The DC United Academy residency programme combines the Major League Soccer club’s elite training with academics at Calverton School for players aged from 14 to 18.

“This is a big opportunity and the most important thing to us is educating our kids, not just in Bermuda but outside of Bermuda as well,” Brown said. “We just don’t concentrate on football, we concentrate on education first and then the football will fall into place.

“We now have the partnership with Calverton School which offers a pathway to the DC United programme and this opportunity could be the first of many for our players.”

Brown, along with Cal Blankendal, the BBFS chief executive, accompanied a group of 25 youngsters from Hood’s youth programme and BBFS to the camp, which was held from July 23 to 27.

“The experience was resounding success for the boys,” said Brown, a former Bermuda and Somerset Trojans defender.

“It was a real eye opener for a lot of our players to see exactly the progress a lot of football players are making in the United States.

“Any professional environment for our players outside of Bermuda is a plus for them. The faster we can get them out of here and out of their comfort zone the better off their football will be.”

During the camp, the youngsters had a rare opportunity to meet and train under Shaun Goater, the former Bermuda and Manchester City striker.

“Goater did two very professional sessions at the camp, which went really well, and he also did a session for the local coaches,” Brown added.