ICE HOCKEY: Rhodes represents England Under 15s in Bratislava

Early on Easter Monday Rhodes Mitchell-King travelled out to Bratislava with the England Under 15 team for a five-day training camp and three games against strong local opposition.

This event was the largest one of its kind ever organised by the English Ice Hockey Association with a total of six teams, coaches, managers and officials attending.

All the teams (U13, U14, U15 & U19 boys plus U14 Girls and U17 Girls) spent a very busy time training on the ice, gym work and lectures in addition to a number of full scale challenge games.

The schedule of the camp mirrored many aspects of that which elite players will experience later in their careers with senior GB teams at World Championship events.

Rhodes plays his club ice hockey for the Coventry Blaze Academy Under 15 team of which he is captain this season.

In addition he also trains and plays up with the Under 18 team and has also been selected to represent the Midlands at Under 15 level this season.

He is a strong defence player but is also known as one who can score goals if the game situation allows – this was evidenced by the hat trick he scored in the first game in Bratislava.

To gain selection for England Rhodes attended trials camps at Deeside and Sheffield in August, October, December and February.

In previous seasons he has been selected for the England Under 13s who played in Quebec and England Under 14s who went to Czech last April.

The England U15 team played three games in Bratislava winning two and losing one. After the high of playing for England Rhodes now turns to finishing the season with Coventry Blaze Academy and then to represent the Midlands at the UK Conference Tournament at the end of May.