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The Inferno
Cardiff Devils U18s tackle Europe
While this year’s U18s squad have had a strong year to date competing at the top of the A league South looking for domestic silverware, they now look to perhaps have the opportunity to take up a challenge that has been presented outside of UK soil. An opportunity for the Devils name to compete in Europe for the first time in many years!
This year’s Cardiff Devils U18s squad have had the privilege to be invited to a brand new IIHF recognised U18 tournament which is being staged by Orleans Hockey club in France this March. The brand new invitational tournament will see eight clubs compete against each other over three days during Easter Weekend with the finals round being played on the Monday afternoon. The other teams that will be competing will be Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nantes, Meudon and Orleans from France, the Scotland U17 National side, a team representing Belgium and the Devils will fly the Welsh flag for the weekend. It has been several years since any Cardiff Devils Junior teams have competed outside the UK, and this will be a great opportunity and a huge honour for the players and officials involved in the age group to compete at this high level of event and set the Cardiff Devils name into European circles once again.
U18’s coach Jamie Elson said “We currently have the squad pretty excited by this opportunity. A handful of the boys have played internationally before with the England and Conference teams but about two thirds of the players have never had the chance to play outside of the UK and so it will be a first for them, and an opportunity they might well never get again. It has also been a very long time since a Junior Devils team got to compete outside the UK, so we recognise it’s a big honour and opportunity and a great chance to shout about the club and the talent we produce, abroad.”
Rob Shanahan who is one of the team managers for this age group, has taken the lead on trying to put together the trip and find the funding to allow the boys to take part. Rob said “We are currently starting the fundraising side of things, and we need to raise somewhere in the region of £4K-£5K in a limited time, to be able to send the team to compete at the tournament. Hockey is an expensive sport for the parents already, and we hope that we can raise enough, so that we can send every player to the tournament without charge. That would be the real goal. If we fall short then at least we can subsidise it and hope that the players can afford to make up the difference. We understand what a great opportunity we have been given and want to ensure all the players get a chance to compete at this international level.”
The Cardiff Devils U18s would love to hear from anyone who might be able to support them with Sponsorship for the team of any size or with any other opportunities to help raise funds. Please contact Rob Shanahan on info@rs-property.com or Jamie Elson on elson667@hotmail.com if you think you might be able to help, or maybe have any suggestions to help get the team to France.
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