THE SEVEN Swindon Hockey Club junior members selected for the Junior Regional Performance Centres (JPRC) have paid tribute to their coaches at the club for helping them get called up.

Daisy Mussard, Pete Gilbert, Shona O’Dwyer, James and Chloe Lewis, Patricia Woods-Annan and Gael Little have all been asked to attend the training camps having impressing for their club and schools over the course of the season.

After the youngsters have attended six, six-hour sessions at Clifton College they will then be considered for the Tier One tournament, which takes place over two weekends in September and opens up a potential route into the Tier Two, HiPac or Futures Cup, depending on their age group.

All seven thanked their coaches at Swindon, notably Chris Jones, for helping develop their games.

Mussard, an Isambard School pupil who has been summoned to the under 14 girls, said: “I love playing hockey and I am grateful to Mr Jones for introducing me to it when I was in year five. I attended Junior Academy Centre (JAC) at Marlborough College and really didn't think I would get selected for JRPC this year. I am looking forward to receiving some good advice and training from some of the top coaches.”

Pete Gilbert, a year 11 pupil at Warneford School, has been selected for the under 17 boys. He said: “I play hockey because I love it and I'm honoured to have been recognised as one of the best players of my age group in the region. It really shows the quality of coaching I've received at Swindon, and I look forward to seeing where hockey takes me in the future.”

Swindon boasts around 100 junior members, aged between eight and 17. Perhaps their most successful junior of recent years, Lydiard Park Academy student O’Dwyer, said: “I am extremely pleased to be selected for JRPC again.

“I had an amazing time playing in the futures cup last season and would like to reach that level again. I couldn't have done this without the support of Swindon and would like to thank all that have helped me”.

Brother and sister James and Chloe Lewis have been selected for the under 18 boys and under 15 girls respectively.

Chloe, a year nine pupil at Lydiard Park, said: “I love playing hockey and everything about hockey. Swindon Hockey Club has given me some fantastic opportunities allowing me to play great competitive hockey from a very young age.

“Mark O’Dwyer took me into the under 14 girls’ team when I was just 11, I was also given the chance by Vicki Stokes, the ladies first-team Captain, to play in the ladies ones as soon as I reached 13.

“This has massively improved my game and I would like to thank all the first-team ladies and Craig Sage, our coach, for their support.”

James, who is studying A Levels at New College, said: “Without Chris Jones and all the men’s team captains giving the juniors a chance to play up, I would not be playing hockey at the level I am today. I am looking forward to this year’s JRPC and seeing how far I can get”

Little has been selected for the first time for the under 18 girls. She said: “In the six years I have been playing, I have represented Swindon from under 13s to under 18s and now, after five years, and my last year to try, I have been selected for the West.

“This means a lot, not only being recognised but as I have never got through before and it was a personal goal for myself.”

Woods-Annan, a year 10 pupil at Warneford School, said: “I was so happy and shocked I got selected it means a lot to me. I would like to thank my coaches for helping me persevere to this stage.”