FROM afar, the kid looks like an ordinary Pinoy as he mingles easily with the other players kicking a soccer ball around. But James Halasan Ryan is not from around here.

The 9-year-old Filipino-British player actually flew all the way from Dudley, England to Davao City to man the goal for the Ateneo de Davao Grade School Under-10 Team in the recently concluded 13th Alaska Cup at the Alabang Country Club in Muntinlupa City.

Standing 3?5? and weighing 32 kilograms, James started playing football (soccer to the rest of the world) only a year ago, and immediately loved being a goalie. ?I have strong hands and good reflex,? he explains.

James was born on October 29, 1999 in England West Midlands, United Kingdom to parents Fe Halasan, a registered global nurse and a law graduate from the Philippines, and Edward Ryan, a scientist at the University of Warrich in England.

James was 2 when his parents realized that their son was particularly gifted. Recalls Edward: ?At that age, he could hit a moving ball at baseball and would catch it using his hands, skills that a child would normally have at age five.?

The boy also loved to jump and climb, which initially scared his parents, ?until we realized that he had superb balance and was utterly fearless,? the father adds.

In fact, the boy learned to bike in about 10 minutes when he was three. Never even bothered with stabilizers, the proud dad says.

James also turned out to be a mixer and very smart, something his parents attribute to genes. ?We?re both educated and made it to the top of our graduating class, so we?re not really suprised at how our son turned out,? says the senior Ryan. ?We also tried to provide a stimulating environment for him.?

Realizing that they could be raising a prodigy came gradually, says Edward. ?We were pleased and decided to keep doing what we were doing, as we were apparently doing something right.?

He adds: ?Our philosophy is to let James progress at his own pace, but to provide him with the widest variety of experiences. We will never try to push him into an interest; it will always be James? choice.?

Supportive of his son?s interest in football, Edward spent a lot of time researching the local clubs where James could play, and buying him books that might interest him.

Sometimes James shows no initial interest in a book, but later changes his mind. Says Edward: ? There is an old saying. ?You can take a horse to water, but you cannot force it to drink.? I believe that if I provide the water, James will drink when he is thirsty.?

The reward of having a gifted child, says this father, is only a bonus. It is more important to have a child who is happy, friendly and well behaved, he adds.

While bringing up a gifted child is fraught with challenges, Edward says watching James enjoying himself more than makes up for the anxieties. ?I strongly believe in giving children maximum freedom and independence, while maintaining strong boundaries of acceptable behavior. You should not turn childhood into a training regime where every minute is accounted for and having fun is treated as wasting time,? he notes.

Given the opportunity to play in his own way has helped James develop a wide range of friends and given him plenty of confidence, Edward adds.

Currently in Level Four at the St. Joseph Catholic Primary School in Dudley West, James was allowed to take a leave of absence from school to join the Ateneo Under-10 Team. James makes it a point to manage his time between football and school.

?My involvement in sports does not affect my schooling,? says James who was awarded for being best in academics.

Away from training, the boy plays his Sony Play Station to keep busy.

A typical day for James starts at 8 a.m. on weekdays so he can attend school from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On weekends, he wakes up an hour early, ?so I can enjoy my PlayStation more,? he says. ?I also love watching Mr. Bean. I listen to rock music and I love chocolates.?

Despite his considerable football prowess, James is not a one-sport athlete. Aside from football, he also plays rugby and cricket, practices judo and likes swimming, too.

But as far as the boy is concerned, it?s rugby that he dreams about, specifically winning for England. ?I want to win the Rugby World Cup for England against New Zealand by one point?just one point,? James shares.

He confides that he only has two sports idols?England star Jonny Wilkinson for rugby and Manchester United goalie Edwin Van der Sar for football.

James left for England November 23 and hopes to be invited back to play for the Ateneo next year. ?I will miss Davao and I will miss Time Zone. I will miss the Philippines because there is so much stuff here.?

Sounds like someone had a ball during his time here.