WEYMOUTH's Jake Pitney has sealed the potential journey of a lifetime as he has signed a deal to jet off and study on a football scholarship with the NIACC (North Iowa Area Community College) Trojans this Summer.

Pitney, a midfielder who can play on the wing, is on the Yeovil Town elite player development programme and plays for the Weymouth Reserves appeared in the Terras' 2-0 defeat to Bridport in the Dorset Senior Cup.

Pitney said: "I am over the moon to be honest.

Pitney had numerous offers including one that came through on Christmas Day, as he explains: "It was a bit of a shock because I got one a couple of weeks earlier than I should have and then they just kept coming in and coming in then it was just cor hang on, it gave me a massive confidence boost.

"It all happened so fast I could not process it. so I was a bit shocked. I never really had time for it to register."

Explaining about Weymouth's reaction to the news Pitney said: "They were quite chuffed with the news. A few months ago I did get called up for a first team fixture and that gave me another confidence boost as well. They have reacted like I have to be honest, it does not really happen to be fair. You do not really hear about it."

Pitney joins former Yeovil academy teammate Jayden Corbridge in arranging moves stateside and Pitney reveals the two have been in touch, with Jayden having recently confirmed a move to SCAD Savannah in Georgia.

Pitney said: "It is a bit strange because I have not heard of anyone going off to America and it just so happens that me and an old teammate of mine are off now. We are in contact at the moment and he is saying how much I am going to love it.

"He is not where I am going to be but just having someone out there who is in the same situation is a nice feeling."

Pitney is at Yeovil until the end of June and will be moving to America in July.

Explaining how Yeovil reacted to the news Pitney said: "When I told them that I had signed for North Iowa on their faces' it was a ray of sunshine. That is now two of us from Yeovil who are hopefully on our way to getting a professional contract out in the states.

"It is all quite a nice atmosphere up there at the moment."

When asked what stood out about Iowa Pitney said: "It just felt right, speaking to the gaffer he is 26 so I got along well with him as well and he is trying to make a name out there and it is his first year for himself when I start and it just felt right.

"He has only signed four people this year as well and that also gave me an incentive that he knows what he is doing because he is not just signing everyone.

"Football-wise I feel like I will enjoy it massively and also living wise because they have spent $25 million on the dormitories.

"It all round seemed like the best place to go to be honest."