ETHAN Mayoh has certainly got his skates on as he makes his way in the world of ice hockey.

The Horwich teenager may only just have turned 17 but he is not short of experience.

So committed was he to making it in the sport that he moved away from his family at the tender age of 15 to live, learn and train 170 miles away in Swindon.

The former Rivington and Blackrod pupil has had no shortage of success at age-group level and has ambitions of getting a taste of the senior game soon as well as breaking into the national set-up.

He has been at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Swindon for the last two years where he gets his education, ice hockey training and development, off-ice strength and conditioning and plays in the English Ice Hockey Association under-18 South One League.

His father, Paule Mayoh, is proud of his son for having the courage and commitment to move so far away from home at such a young age, especially as he had only been playing since 2012.

“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 when Ethan's story was featured in The Bolton News in 2016.

Ethan is a defence-man at the academy and has enjoyed success at age-group level.

Last season OHA were crowned league champions after going unbeaten all season, they retained the Rob Laidler Plate in the play-off finals and became English national champions.

Ethan has trained with England Under-19s, represented the South West U17s team in the Conference Tournament and played in several European countries.

He has already taken his first coaching badges and helps coach younger children.

And he does not take a break from the ice when back at home in Horwich, playing as a guest for Elite Ice Hockey League’s Manchester Storm in their academy team, and for Altrincham Aces senior team.

His dedication and talent made him a shortlisted finalist for the Bolton Sports Active Awards at the Macron Stadium in September.

He hopes to make his senior debut for one of Swindon’s teams this season and, after missing out on trials for Great Britain Under-18s team last year due to prior commitments, he hopes to get a second chance this summer.

He will graduate from the academy in 2019, after which he plans to travel to Europe to continue his ice hockey career.