Shropshire Star

Like father, like son: Deakan Fielder follows his dad's lead with an England call

A teenage ice hockey player from Telford has followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a junior international.

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Deakan Fielder, 13, is one of just 15 young hopefuls to have made the cut for the latest England Under-14s squad.

The Hollinswood-based defender's father David represented Great Britain Under-16s in the same position when he was a teenager.

Deakan, who attends Phoenix School in Telford, will represent his country in Prague, Czech Republic, at an international tournament on December 27 and then in Austria during the Easter holidays for another multi-nations competition.

Deakan, who captains Telford Venom Under-14s and also plays for the Under-16s and trains with the Under-18s, said: "I was quite surprised to be selected because there were a lot of good players at the trials. I didn't expect to get in so it feels good."

His father, who is junior head coach at Telford Venom, added: "I am so proud and he deserves it because he has worked so hard.

"He goes to the gym twice a week, he has got a personal trainer, he is working on his strength and he trains three-four times a week on the ice."

Deakan successfully came through a series of trials to make the cut, which initially saw 80 players vying for the 15 available spots.

His achievement comes eight years after he first took up the sport, aged just five, and his ultimate aim is to become a senior international as well as a first-team regular for his home town's senior side Telford Tigers.

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