A DETERMINED young roller hockey prodigy is going from strength to strength after again being selected to play for Great Britain.
Josh Kelly, 13, will represent his country at the U16s European Inline Championships in Italy later this year.
Talented Josh, a Year 9 student at Rugby Free Secondary school, is also the youngest player to be selected to represent the ice hockey U15 Midlands Conference.
It is the culmination of two years of achievement for hard-working Josh, who is delighted to see his efforts rewarded.
A year ago, he was selected for that season’s England under-13s team.
And in 2017, he helped Britain’s under-12s roller hockey team to a gold medal at the AAU Junior Olympics in California.
Josh has been playing for the Norton Cyclones inline team based in Rotherham for the past two seasons, and plays for the under-15A Nottingham Tigers ice hockey team.
Josh said: “I am very honoured to be chosen to represent GB again and I am looking forward to the tournament.
“I’ve been working towards this goal, training hard and giving my everything. It’s an amazing feeling to know my hard word has paid off.
“I want to become a professional hockey player in the future.”
Josh’s proud mum Doné Kelly said: “He is the one that puts in the effort and we are just the equipment managers and the taxi service. We can’t do the work for him – but he is so motivated to achieve his goals.
“Ice hockey isn’t always during sociable hours as the kids are often on the ice between 11pm and 1am – but Josh loves it and never complains.”
