Ollie Wheeler’s meteoric rise up the Welsh Hockey ranks has continued with the news that he has been selected to play for Wales U16's Hockey for three Tests against Scotland in Glasgow next weekend and then for the Wales U16's in the European Hockey Fives in Lithuania in July.
 
And recently, after training with the U18's for the last couple of weeks he was also told he has been selected for the Wales U18's to play Ulster in Belfast in June and at 15 he will be the "youngster" in the U18's squad.
 

Extra training has really paid off

 
Ollie has worked really hard for this recognition because he has been training with Pembrokeshire Harriers in their sprint training, which has given him the edge so he is understandably grateful to Luke Foley for introducing him to the sand pit and Richard Thomas, his sprint coach, for pushing him on the track.
 
Ollie is an established Wales U16's squad member having played for the U16's last year as a 14 year old so stepping up to the U18's as a 15 year old is a huge achievement. 
 
Ollie has already played for Wales U16's against Switzerland over Easter after joining the squad a day late and missing the final training session because he was advised by his doctor he should not make the 20-hour journey on the bus due to a virus he was getting over.  Ollie played really well in all the games against the Swiss, scoring five goals and helping Wales to win the series.