ETHAN Mayoh will represent the South West when he takes to the ice in Sheffield this weekend in the national under-15s ice hockey conference finals, despite being Horwich born and bred.

The 15-year-old former Rivington and Blackrod pupil left his home in Butterwick Fields last year to take up the offer of a place at the Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) in Swindon.

In his first full season at the academy, where he combines study for his GCSEs with playing in Division One South of the U18s English Ice Hockey Association, Ethan has enjoyed unprecedented success.

The teenage defenceman helped his side to 20 wins in 20 matches to claim the regional title, and last weekend won the national play-offs in Swindon, beating Bradford and Bracknell to reach the final before overcoming Division One North winners Sheffield to claim the Rob Laider Plate.

His sterling individual performances have also earned Ethan a place as assistant captain in the representative South West Conference team, and he will head to south Yorkshire this weekend to compete against the best players from Scotland and the Northern, Midland and South East Conferences.

Ethan’s parents Paule and Tracy are understandably proud of their son, not just because of his success but the determination he has shown to follow his dreams.

“Choosing to leave his family and friends behind to take up the offer of a place at Okanagan was a man’s decision,” said Paule.

“Obviously we have all missed him very much, but once he had made up his mind there was no question of us standing in his way.

“He is not the biggest or strongest member of his team, but he will do whatever it takes to be the best.

“To put his achievement into context, he only stepped on to the ice for the first time in 2012, a little over three years ago.

Most of the other people he is competing against have been skating since they were seven or eight.

But whereas everyone else will spend around two hours a week on the ice, Ethan would spend five or six.

“He has that kind of single-minded attitude which I think will take him wherever he wants to go.”

Ethan played two seasons with the Manchester Phoenix junior team before being picked up by OHA after impressing during a hockey camp and subsequent trials.

“The next step for Ethan is a call-up to represent Great Britain Under-16s,” said Paule.

“If he continues to progress then hopefully that will come later this year.

“In the long term, I think his goal would be to earn a contract with one of the top European leagues, or maybe even the NHL.

“One of the older OHA boys recently earned a contract with a team that plays in Finland, which has one of the top three leagues in the world.

“OHA is a Canadian academy, with links to the NHL, so there could even be an option to go on to play professionally in Canada or America.

“That is his dream, but first he has to complete his GCSEs next year. Whatever happens after that, we’ll support Ethan all the way, but I know he has already had an experience he will never forget.”