IT HAS been a good season for the Slough Junior Jets Academy as the Absolutely Ice-based club has had plenty of players representing it at national and international level.

Under the stewardship of Steve English, director of operations, and head coach Ben Pitchley, the hockey academy fields a team at Under-9, 11, 13, 15, 18 and 20, as well as a senior side competing in the National Ice Hockey League.

A dedicated team of qualified coaches take practice on a Tuesday and Wednesday for the academy, and teams play their competitive league fixtures at the weekend.

As a reward for their hard work and talent, players can be selected to represent their conference, England or the pinnacle for any British hockey player, Great Britain.

It is with pride the Slough Junior Jets Academy can announce that the following have been selected to represent Slough.

Great Britain: Lewis English (U18), Callum Burnett (U16) and Lucy Beal (U16 girls).

England: Lewis English (U16), Zack Milton and Callum Burnett (U15), Jack Goodchild, Conner Cooke and Craig Ellis (U14), Lucy Beal (U14 girls) and Juha Lindgren (U13).

Conference: Lewis English and Chris Hocquingy (U17), Jack Goodchild, Conner Cooke, Craig Ellis, Zack Milton, Jason Newman and Callum Burnett (U15), Juha Lindgren (U13) and Kyle Bradburn (U11).

English said: “We are very proud of our ambassador players. It is testament to the skill they have and hard work they put in weekly in training, but also the hard work and dedication of our coaching team.

“Ben and the coaches plan each training session meticulously, and also offer players tips and hints on nutrition and fitness.

“The people chosen are not just representing their conference or country but also ambassadors for Slough, showing that the town has a lot of sporting talent.”

The director of operations continued: “We are grateful to the management team at Absolutely Ice and the staff that stay, often during anti-social hours, for our training and other local hockey clubs.

“The rink is home to not only our club and its 150-plus members, but also a Premier Division ladies team, Slough Phantoms, an additional needs team, Special People on Ice (SPICE) Jets and recreational teams Slough Tornados, Slough Scorpions, Slough Satans and Windsor Knights.

“The academy trains players that go on to represent not just the senior team but other Slough clubs too and, of course, in the case of the players announced, their country.”

Slough Jets and Slough Junior Jets Academy are based at Absolutely Ice on Montem Lane, Slough.

For more information visit www.jetshockey.co.uk or e-mail Steve English at senglish@jetshockey.co.uk.